If You Leave Me, I Will Kill You
by Tigerlily
Summary: Hermione has detention with Snape and when things get out of control, she has an unlikely rescuer. The gang formulates a plan when they learn she isn't Snape's only victim.
1. Hermione's Bad Day

Author's Note: This story was inspired by actor who played Professor Snape in the movie "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," Alan Rickman. His character was so darn creepy this story practically wrote itself. This story is much darker then our others but we hope you enjoy it. 

Disclaimer: Guess what, we still don't own Harry Potter or his friends. However the plot and the two OC's (Robin+Lilly) do belong to us.

**If you leave me, I will kill you.**

By: Tigerlily

Chapter One: Hermione's Bad Day

Potions, for Hermione, was usually a bad experience, but today was looking to be worse then usual As she, Ron, and Harry entered the dungeons with the rest of the class, she felt close to a nervous breakdown She and Ron were in the middle of a heated exchange over S.P.E.W. Ron objected flatly to House Elf Liberation. "Hermione, you're crazy! How many times do I have to spell it out for you? House Elves like to work, they don't want wages or holidays."

Hermione fumed, "That's not the point Ron! House Elves deserve the opportunity to be free if they choose! They don't want it just because they are afraid of change. Isn't that right Harry?! Just look at Dobby!"

They both turned to Harry with aggressive looks on their faces.

Harry looked frankly horrified.

"Um...well, you know Hermione...er...Ron has got a point..."

Hermione had had enough.

"That's it!" she said a little louder then she had intended, "You always take his side Harry always!"

"Hermione-"

But Hermione just turned her back to them and started to prepare ingredients for her discord draught. She couldn't believe them. They always took sides against her and made her feel like the outsider.

She felt Ron walk up behind her. Anger fumed inside her.

"_Just ignore him_," she told herself.

Ron leaned a little closer to her, and she just knew he was going to say something horrid.

"That's it!" she yelled, as she whirled around, "I'm not taking any more of your crap R-"

She stopped short, horror flooding suddenly into her mind. It wasn't Ron. 

It was Professor Snape. Hermione was speechless. The entire class was deadly silent, staring at her.

"You are not taking any more of my what Ms. Granger?" Snape's voice was dangerous and he took a step closer. 

"Um...I...uh..." as Hermione struggled to find words, she heard a bubbling sound coming from behind her. Taking her eyes off Snape's face, she looked down at her desk to see her potion overflowing onto every surface within three feet of it. She closed her eyes in anguish. The worst day of her life seemed to be showing her no mercy...

"Ms. Granger," said Snape silkily, "you will be serving detention with me tonight for that... colorful outburst." He looked down at the mess with his arms folded. "Your potion was no doubt brewed incorrectly, it seems the 'know-it-all' has finally failed. And at a potion that the rest of the class, Longbottom omitted, found seemingly simple." 

He walked away but Hermione stayed where she was. Ron and Harry said absolutely nothing. Usually they would have come to her defense, or at least comforted her. She felt ready to cry and choked back a sob. She felt horrible. Ron and Harry were ignoring her, she had messed up a potion, and she had embarrassed herself in front of every Gryffindor sixth year, not to mention the Slytherins! And the icing on the cake was that she would be spending all evening in the company of the most insufferable teacher in what had to be the history of Hogwarts. 

Hermione cringed at the thought. Unmanageable and cruel as Snape was, she had noticed a definite upswing in the ferocity of his vindictive behavior. Lately, she noticed how he seemed to enjoy looming ominously over her as she worked, glaring down at her in what seemed to be unspeakable loathing. Snape appeared to truly enjoy making Hermione uncomfortable...

"Ohh! Poor ickle Hermione!" a snide, loud voice whispered from her right as she wiped her eyes, "Is she going to cry? Going to blubber like an ickle little baby?" Hermione closed her eyes fiercely as she heard the Slytherin girls giggling echo loudly through the dungeon. Harry and Ron said nothing.

Later that evening, Hermione finished her dinner alone in the Great Hall. Dreading what was coming next, she took a deep breath and decided it was time to go to the dungeons. She never felt so wretched in her life. As she walked past the Slytherin table she heard Draco Malfoy call loudly "Are you going to show us some tears Mudblood?" She acted as though she hadn't heard him.

"What's wrong with me?" Hermione whispered to herself. She felt more pathetic then she had ever had in her entire life. How long would it be until Ron and Harry decided to talk to her again? She supposed she shouldn't have exploded at them like that It was just...lately she had been feeling very alone, and them ganging up on her hadn't improved her feelings. She tried to pull herself together. "It's probably just a teenage phase", she tried to reassure herself. She had reached the doorway to Snape's dungeon. She took a deep breath and walked inside. 

Hermione looked around. The dungeon was unusually dark and looked even creepier then it did during class. As she entered, she noticed Snape sitting at his desk reading a small red book and he looked at her as she warily stepped into the classroom. She started to feel uncomfortable as Snape continued to watch her. 

"_Why doesn't he just look away_?!" she thought feeling her spine tingle unpleasantly. "_He makes me horribly nervous when he does that_" After what seemed like hours, Snape finally said to her "Cleaning supplies are on the desk Ms. Granger. You will be scrubbing the floor as well as the desks" He turned back to his book.

"_Oh piss off_." Hermione thought. She took of her robe and rolled up her sleeves. She got to work scrubbing the desk first, her back turned to Snape, thinking of horrible things happening to him. She was just imagining his disembowelment when she looked at his desk and saw he had left it. She turned around and saw him standing by the wall directly behind her.

"I want to see that you are doing satisfactory work, Ms. Granger," he said malevolently.

"_Grrr_..." she thought glaring slightly at him "_He's a real ass_".

One hour later Hermione had almost cleaned the entire desk. Snape had been watching her the whole time as if he was waiting for her to make a mistake. She was so tempted to throw her sodden rag in his ugly greasy face. Feeling rather flustered, Hermione lifted her hand to wipe her hair out of her face. She was imagining how many more hours of work she would be facing when she gasped in shock and outrage. Snape had come up from behind her and grabbed her wrist. He was once again looming over her, this time uncomfortably close. "_What the hell does he think he's doing_?" Hermione felt completely shocked. 

Snape was touching her. 

Actually touching her!

She was about to yank her wrist out of his grip when he leaned in even closer and whispered, "You missed a spot." He let go of her arm, and stood against the wall.

"_What the_..." Hermione's mind was having trouble comprehending what had just happened. The whole thing had been very weird. Snape didn't touch anyone, people he was supposed to hate least of all. Hermione very much wanted to leave, but knew she must continue her work or face even more trouble later on. She finished the table quietly, every so often glancing up at Snape, whose arms were folded across his chest, and whose face wore an expression she didn't like at all.

Maybe she was imagining it, but it seemed as though Snape was moving closer to her every moment. "_He's just trying to freak me out_." she told herself, but she couldn't help thinking "_He's going a bit to far this time_". Hermione started to scrub the floor. "_I'll just ignore him, he's trying to bully me into being scared of him. But it won't work_!"

Finally, one hour later, she was finished. Her arms and knees ached from being to the ground so long. She started to stand and she found that she had backed into something large and solid. "_Great... just what I needed_," she thought "_Ramming my ass into a piece of furniture_." She stopped, there were no desks or chairs directly behind her, and what she had bumped into was softer...

"Oh my god!"

Hermione whirled around and found herself so close to Snape that she was chest to chest with his body. Filled with outrage and disgust she backed away. She had the distinct impression that ha had been standing there, waiting for her to stand up. "_This is getting sick_." she thought. 

"Do watch where you're going Ms. Granger", he sneered.

Hermione was speechless "I...uh...I'm done!" She turned and nearly ran out of the dungeons. She wished Ron and Harry were speaking to her, she definitely needed someone to talk to.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

The next morning Hermione woke early. The first thought in her head was "_Potions this afternoon_..." 

Snow was falling on the grounds. Usually the sight of snow made Hermione calm. Now all she could think of was Snape; watching her, Snape; closing in on her, and how her rear had bumped into... 

"Eww!" She shuddered. It was to disgusting to think about. Hermione hated to consider it, but last night Snape had been acting almost...well...sexually towards her. 

"Eww!!!" She shuddered again, wishing she could gauge her mind out with her wand. 

Every class that day to flew by so fast that before Hermione knew it, she was walking into the dungeons with the rest of her classmates. She walked to her desk alone, Harry and Ron settled themselves a few feet away and didn't look at her. She felt very alone and exposed without their usual presence. 

Snape stood at the front of the classroom as the class took their seats. Hermione tried to keep her eyes on her cauldron and barely listened to his instructions on their magic-dampening potion.

"When brewed correctly this potion will render a wizard," he paused, and Hermione could practically feel his eyes on her, "Or witch, powerless." Hermione ran her fingers nervously through her hair and began to brew her potion. 

Every minute seemed to creep by slowly as she focused all her attention on the work she had to do. Snape spent the entire lesson standing behind Hermione's desk. "_He's_ _really_ _starting_ _to_ _freak_ _me_ _out_," she thought. The way he was watching her made her feel extremely uncomfortable, almost naked. 

Finally after what seemed like a lifetime, the bell rang. Hermione let out a sigh and began to pack up her supplies. 

"Ms. Granger," Snape said slowly, "Stay after class. I need a word with you about your potion."

"_This cannot be happening_" she thought. "Sir... I"

"You will stay after class." he said so dangerously that a few people stared. Hermione could feel her face getting hot. She had no idea what he was about to do. 

As the last students left, Snape closed the dungeon door. Hermione nervously pushed her hair out of her eyes. She stood next to her cauldron, trying to remain composed. Snape walked over to her and leaned down slightly, with the pretence of looking at her potion. His hand was resting on her shoulder.

"_Holy shit_!" Hermione closed her eyes. "_I don't believe this is happening. I don't want to believe this is happening._" She tried to back away but Snape tightened his grip. She was starting to get a little bit panicky. "_What does he think he's playing at? He is definitely going to far!_" 

"Professor, please-"

"Hold your tongue Ms. Granger."

Snape was still looking down at her potion, but his hand was moving. "Oh my god." Hermione was to scare to move. His hand was on her back now. She closed her eyes and tried to pull away with a little more force. He suddenly grabbed her hard with both hands and gripped her ass tightly. Hermione panicked and wrenched free from his grasp.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" she screamed. She pushed him away and backed into a desk. Snape took a step closer.

"Don't touch me" she whispered hoarsely.

Snape stopped. His cold black eyes were boring into her.

"You will receive a detention for speaking such foul language to a teacher. Two detentions in a row, that's quite a record you're building up..."

Hermione found her vice "No...no-" she stammered

Snape suddenly looked extremely dangerous. "You will Ms. Granger. believe me if you don't, well, there are worse things then detentions..."

Hermione was horrified. How could this be happening? Snape was actually trying to... she shuddered. As Snape walked away she grabbed her bag and ran out of the classroom. 


	2. Detention & Running

Author's Note - This chapter isn't finished yet. But I thought I'd put it anyway. It will be a Draco+Hermione. Not a...Snape+Hermione (EEEEWWWWW). It's 10 chapters and the rest of this chapter will be up soon!!! Thanx to my reviewers: Bri, Kandi Owens, Ssjgoddesschico, desdemona16, Angel The Brainless Wonder, Mickey Higgs, Ken's Dark Angel, Lady Bellaluna, WiCkEd-WiLLoW, Fiery Slut , dracoluva99, FrenchArtist8894, Lady-Willowish, GerHPfa, SilverDragoness08, Kira, moonlit mage, katertot2003, Hermione-Granger62194, Lilie Blaze, Astraea, rubberducks, and my first reviewer : Angie!!! THANX EVERYBODY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Chapter Two: Detention & Running

(Part One)

Hermione ran away from the dungeons. She ran and ran and ran. Her breath was caught in her chest when she stopped. She didn't know or care where she had been going. She slumped down, breathing hard, at the feet of a suit of armor. "What am I going to do?" she thought wildly. "I've got to tell someone... " 

Then she thought of Ron and Harry.

What if they knew?

They could never know. 

No one could ever know.

The shame would be unbearable... 

Hermione started to sob violently. She didn't go to dinner, she didn't go anywhere. "How can I go back? How can I face them? " Shame and humiliation were flooding through her veins. She was afraid, afraid to go to detention, but even more afraid not to go.

"There are worse things then detention" he had said.

"If I don't go..." she thought "No! Pull yourself together! You'll go and tell him no, SHOW him that he can't push you around. Show him what you're made of!" She felt a stab of bravery. 

She had to go. Hermione squared her shoulders and walked to the dungeons.

* * * * * * * * *......*

Draco Malfoy rose from his seat in the Great Hall. "Crabbe, Goyle, I'll meet you in the common room." His two friends looked up at him as he left. Draco knew they were becoming concerned, no not concerned, suspicious of how he'd been behaving lately. People he knew didn't ever fell concern for him, he thought bitterly. Lately, Draco had become fond of taking time to himself. Solitary walks were his favorite. He spent much of his time thinking, and changing. A lot of things he used to love had lost their appeal. He would still insult Potter, Weasley, and Granger, occasionally, but it wasn't fun any more. It was mostly just for show. 

Draco wandered down into the dungeons of the castle. Come to think of it he really didn't hate them too much anymore. He didn't really hate anything. But he didn't love anything either. 

His life had been put on hold, like he was waiting for something; where to go...what to do...what to believe... 

Draco walked deeper and deeper into the school. Darkness and emptiness 

were all around. And silence...

Or was there silence?

He thought he could hear voices coming from somewhere, but faintly, barley audible. He started to go the other direction, not wanting to see other people. Suddenly though, he heard another sound, a heavy object crashing to the floor and one of the voices crying out. He turned towards the noises and started to walk quickly, trying to find them. The voices were getting louder. One belonged to a girl and she seemed to be crying and sobbing. Maybe she needed help. He broke into a run. In general, Draco had been raised to be honorable in his treatment of ladies... He found himself in front of the very classroom he had potions in. Behind it, he could hear the sounds of a struggle and a girl whimpering in pain. He tried to open the door but, it was locked. He pulled out his wand, "Alohamora!" he shouted. The door sprang open and Draco froze. He was so shocked by what he saw that for half a second he just stared.

The girl crying had been Hermione Granger, and she was being attacked. The person attacking her was Professor Snape.

Draco couldn't believe it. The head of his house, his favorite teacher...Snape was attacking Granger!?! And not just attacking...rage rose inside Draco when he realized what Snape was trying to do. 

He had her up against the wall. One hand was holding her down as the other was touching her in ways...

Before he even thought about what he was doing, Draco had thrown Snape to the ground. Suddenly, he was angrier then he had ever been in his life. As Snape got up , Draco punched him in the stomach, then he kicked him in the crotch as hard as he could. Snape fell to the ground, gasping. Draco turned to Hermione. He had never seen her like this before... vulnerable, a mess, gasping in horrified shock.

"Hermione? Hermione! Look at me!" Draco grabbed her face with his hands, she looked at him and started to cry and sob. "Let's get out of here." He held her up and stumbled put of the dungeon. Draco grabbed her hand leading her up the stairs, into the main part of school. They had to get away.

Hot anger was pulsing through every vein of his body. Rage as he had never known. He couldn't believe it. Draco felt such betrayal. He had trusted Snape. He had believed that Snape was a good guy. Maybe sometimes he played favoritism, maybe he was unfair on occasion, but to do something like this...No one deserved this, even someone he was supposed to hate. This was crap, total bullshit. Draco never knew that Snape had been capable of anything so wrong, so disgusting. And Hermione, poor Hermione. Tears were running down her cheeks as she sobbed uncontrollably. 

They had been enemies for so long. Now that it came to it, he was put in an awkward position. It had been his role for so long; to hate Granger, to make her life miserable. If he helped her now...He'd be walking away from everything he'd been taught to believe...to help, to save a Mudblood. "Pull yourself together" he thought "Does it really matter what she is, or how she was born right now? No matter who she is, she's still a person and you sure as hell should be helping her right now! " Hermione stumbled and fell to the floor. 

Draco grabbed her round the waist, trying to make her stand, but she just cried harder. "Come on Hermione," he said urgently. "You've got to move! Please get up! What if he's chasing after us? Come on, please!"

Hermione whimpered vaguely but refused to stand. 

"Hermione," Draco hissed. It felt strange calling her by her first name. 

Then he heard the sound of running feet behind them.

"Shit..." he hissed. Lifting Hermione in his arms, he looked for someplace they could get away. The prefect's bathroom was straight ahead. Stumbling over to the door, he whispered "Lemon Newt" kicked the door open and ducked inside, closing the door. The marble room was empty and Hermione's sobs echoed dismally around its walls. Draco carried her over to a white marble bench on the far side of the room and she sat, just crying, her face in her hands.

Not knowing quite what to do, he slouched down on the floor, catching his breath. For many long minutes, Hermione continued to cry. Draco was still very confused. He didn't know what to do, he'd never been on a situation like this. He had know idea what Hermione could be thinking right now.

Finally, after what seemed to be a lifetime, Hermione's crying started to wind down. She sniffed a couple of times, got up, walked over to one of the taps, and turned it on. The tap gushed out a cold icy blast of water and she stuck her face right under it. For a minute, she just sat there, washing her face thoroughly and gulping down the water. 

Finally, she turned of the tap and sat, dripping, and gasping on the marble floor. 

"I can't believe it," she said after a moment, her voice barely a whisper. "I just don't believe it...how could he?" She drew a shuddering breath and Draco knew she was still crying. "..it just doesn't...I don't know..."

Draco looked at his hands, they were cold and clammy. He felt extremely uncomfortable. Hermione stared into space, he could tell she was still in a state of shock and horror. "How... could... this... happen," she gasped slowly, a blank look in her eyes. 

"Uh...look, Hermione...um" Draco said awkwardly, "We have to go to Madame Pomfrey...get you taken care of...and, er...all that I guess."

Hermione seemed to suddenly come to life again. "No!" she spat, "No! She can't know. No one can ever ever know!" She suddenly became frantic, tears streaming down her face. "If anyone ever found out, I don't know what I'd do! The shame, oh my god!" She put her face in her hands and started to sob. She spoke again, this time her voice was muffeled slightly, and full of humiliation. "And...and now you know. This is terrible. You of all people. You saved me, didn't you? Now I just want to die. Please just let me die. " She started to sob even harder. Draco didn't know what to say. "I don't know what to do," she sobbed desperately. "please...help me, oh god help me...I want to die! Why? Why!? No one can ever know...the shame..." 

Draco stood up and walked over to her. "Shame!?!" he said, "Why should you feel shame? It's him who...who did that! Snape should feel ashamed, not you!" Hermione's shoulders heaved. Very awkwardly, Draco knelt by her and put an arm around her, patting her back in what he hoped was a comforting manner.

"You don't understand!" she sobbed, "It's all my fault! He was...making...p passes at me. I thought if I-I said something...confronted him then, then he'd... But I was stupid. It's my own...my fault..."

"Uh...well. Don't say things like that," said Draco searching for words, "It's not your fault. But listen Hermione, we've got to get help, some one has to..."

"No!" she said. "I told you, no one can know," more quietly she whispered. "It's bad enough that you know. ::sob:: What if..." she took a shuddering breath, "What if my friends ::gulp:: what if Harry and Ron found out? What...what would I do?" She dissolved into tears once more. After a while, she looked at him, as if realizing who he was for the first time. "Why...why did you save me?" she asked slowly. 

Draco was silent for a moment. He didn't know how to answer. "I...I guess it was just...well, the right thing to do..." he finished lamely. To his surprise, Hermione closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. Not quite knowing what to do, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and rested his head on her own. It was odd sitting there on the floor of the quiet bathroom, holding Hermione in a comforting way as she wrapped her arms around him as well. But somehow, it felt...right. 

Hermione was an enemy, and according to some people (like his father), helping and even holding Hermione was bad. But to Draco, it wasn't wrong. And if there had been something he had learned today, it was the difference between "bad", and wrong.

A/N: Well, there you have it, Chapter 2. I should have the next chapter up soon!! Happy holidays everyone, and pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease read/review!!!!!!!!!!!!! Toodles1111111111` 

Don't forget: 

Coming soon: Chapter Three - **The Aftermath**


	3. The Aftermath

Chapter Three

**~~~~The Aftermath­­~~~~**

Hermione's eyes flickered as she heard footsteps and familiar voices. It took a moment for her to remember where she was, who she was with, and why… 

She had been dozing in a dreamless sleep. Shock was still thick on her mind. Agony and disgust pulsed through her body and made her shiver as she suddenly remembered the feel of Snape's hands on her body, the pain, the suffocation. He had been so heavy on her, she tried to fight him but his strength had felt like steel… it was horrible to remember

Trying to find comfort, she squeezed gently on the thing she was resting on and it moved and wrapped its arms around her softly, lifting her slightly.

It was Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. The boy who was her enemy, was… but suddenly that was no longer important. He had saved her. He had ripped her away from the heavy pushing, the grabbing, the groping…everything. Malfoy, Draco, had helped her. He had _saved _her. Now he was holding her and somehow… she had never felt safer. 

"Hermione," he was whispering in her ear. "Hermione, wake up, somebody's coming." Hermione shrugged groggily as he sat up, supporting her in his arms. She wrapped her own tighter around his neck. All she felt right now was security. Draco made her feel warm and safe, and something else she couldn't describe. 

Draco shifted in her in his arms and she opened her eyes. At the exact same time, the door to the prefect's bathroom banged open. She gasped in horror as she saw Ron and Harry framed in the doorway, looks of surprise mingled with fury on their faces. 

"What the~?" Ron walked quickly into the room, Harry at his heels. "What the hell do you think your doing?" he said.

"Hermione!" Harry gasped.

"Oh my god!" Hermione disentangled herself from Malfoy. 

"What the fuck was that?" yelled Ron

"Ron~" Hermione stammered. 

"Don't you touch ever her~!" Ron had walked up to Malfoy, who just stood there. "Did you do that to her? Did you hurt her?" he yelled. 

Hermione ran her fingers through her hair, "Harry! Ron! He didn't do anything to me~!"

Harry looked speechlessly at her.

"Oh fuck!" yelled Ron, "Then what the bloody hell is that Hermione!?!" he grabbed her shoulder and turned her around to face a mirror. "Where did those come from, ay?"

Hermione looked at her reflection and saw that the skin around her left eye had risen into a swollen purple bruise and that her lip was swollen and split. Snape had hit her round the face when she had resisted, but Ron and Harry mustn't know. 

"Ron, it's not what it looks like…"

"Not what it looks like?" Ron roared. "Then what the hell is it? Harry and I come in here for a swim and we see you and Malfoy rounding second base, and you with your face bloodied up like hell!"

"Hermione, I don't believe it," said Harry in disgust. "Malfoy?"

Draco spoke, "Hermione, you have to tell them, they've got to know!"

"No!" she yelled, her eyes watering. "They can't know, ever."

"Oh, I think we already know Hermione!" Ron looked furious, "I can't believe you'd do this, go with Malfoy! You're a traitor!" Hermione cried even harder at Ron's words. 

"Hermione, tell them! You have to tell them!!!" Draco said furiously 

"Shut your face, Malfoy!" Harry said.

"No!" Hermione sobbed, "I can't tell, I won't!"

"What are you two going on about?" said Ron "have the two lovers got a secret even bigger now?"

"We're not lovers!" Hermione screamed, still sobbing. 

"Tell them!" Draco yelled, "If you don't, I will! They're your friends, they have a right to know! If you don't, I will"

"No!"

"What the fuck is~"

"Snape tried to rape her!! I walked in on it and stopped him." Draco yelled. "Then we…we ran" he finished lamely. 

There was a silence.

The bottom dropped out of Hermione's stomach. Ron looked at her, his anger replaced by horror.

"Hermione~" he said, "I'm so, so sorry. I…"

But she couldn't look any of them in the eyes. She ran out of the bathroom and into the corridor, tears streaming down her face. She ran all the way to the Gryffindor Tower and into her dorm. It was empty. Today was the first day of winter holidays and she was glad. She lay in her bed, and cried till she slept. 

* * * * * *

* * * * *

* * * * 

* * * 

* * 

* 

It was a long time before Hermione left her dorm room. No one came in our out since all the Gryffindor 6th years had left because of the holiday. Even though she was very hungry, she didn't want to go down and get food. Going out would have met seeing Harry and Ron.

On her second night in the dorm, there was a knock on her door, and a voice from the other side spoke. It was Ron, 

"Uh, Hermione…it's us. We've got some food for you…if you want it." Hermione lay still in her bed and said nothing. The door opened and she closed her eyes. . Harry and Ron tiptoed in, obviously thinking she was asleep. Harry set down some food tied in a napkin. They looked at her silently, then left, closing the door quietly behind them. Hermione jumped out of her bed and untied the napkin. Inside of it were half a dozen chicken legs, a flagon of pumpkin juice, and a piece of parchment. Hermione picked it up and read it,

Hermione, 

Please come down. We miss you and we're worried. We just want to help you.

Ron & Harry

Her eyes watered slightly. They didn't understand. It just wasn't that simple. She knew they'd never look at her the same… She felt dirty, like garbage, and it was a kind of filth no amount of bathing could remove. It was thought her entire body had been ransacked…destroyed…damaged beyond repair. She felt so tired, even though she spent most of her time sleeping. Hope was gone, and all that was left was shame and disgrace. 

How could she let this happen? 

She thought back to a time when people called her clever, it now seemed like a past life. "_If I had been clever at all I wouldn't be in this mess. I wouldn't let this happen. How could I be so stupid?_"

Hermione started to sob. 

This was so horrible, beyond any predicament she'd ever found herself in. Or rather, gotten herself into. She ran her fingers through her hair. She was starting to get filthy; staying in the same room for two days. She needed to get out… but that would mean seeing Ron and Harry, she knew she couldn't face them. But the fact remained that she needed to bathe, and, somehow, she had to get out. 

That night, Hermione decided that she had to get out. But how? Somehow she'd have to get them some kind of message. She wanted them to know that she didn't want to talk about it. Not only that, but she didn't even want them to act like anything had happened. Maybe if she left them a note… On the back of the note

from Ron and Harry, she wrote her own.

Ron & Harry

Pretend like nothing ever happened and

I'll come back.

Hermione

Hermione waited until after 4:00 am, then she snuck quietly into the common room. She breathed a sigh of relief to see it empty. She left the note on one of the tables, and tiptoed back to her room. 

The next morning she woke to find a note had been slipped under her door. It read:

Okay.

It was time to go down. Hermione pulled on her robes and brushed out her tangled hair. Wiping back a stray tear, Hermione squared her shoulders. Very slowly, she walked down the stairs. Quite frankly, she felt rather ill. She was so nervous she was afraid she might get sick. Maybe she couldn't do this…maybe, maybe she should just go back up… "_No!_" she thought "_Don't be a coward_" As she reached the common room, she saw Harry and Ron turn qouckly around, from their chairs by the fire. "let's go down to breakfast, shall we?" Ron and Harry followed her down to the Great Hall. 


	4. The Lake

A/N: Here's chapter 4. I was going to post it later but I decided that you all deserved to have it sooner… 104 REVIEWS!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!! Thank you all _sooooo _much!!! My other story has been up for 3 years and it only has 78, this one has been up for 3 weeks and it already has 100!!!!!!!! Thank you all so much!!!!

Chapter Four

~~~The Lake~~~ 

Draco walked out of the Slytherin common room. Ever since that night when…. Well, anyway, Draco had felt so outraged, and so estranged from the rest of the Slytherins. He just couldn't believe Snape could do something like that. He had trusted and looked up to Snape for so long, and now… it made him so mad to think of it. Draco wanted to tell someone, to turn Snape in for his crime and make him pay… but he hadn't.

Something was stopping him, and he had found himself thinking about this thing all day, everyday, since that night. 

It was Hermione.

She had told him so vehemently that she didn't want anyone to know what had happened. He knew she felt humiliated. He truly pitied her. This pity bothered him. A part of him was completely disgusted by this. Granger was scum right? She was a Mudblood… wasn't she? "_You saved her, why are you still thinking of her? That's not good_…" Draco shook his head. Did it really matter what the Slytherin standards were anymore? Look what the head of Slytherin had done to an innocent girl. 

Slytherin had lost its reverence with him ever since see had seem him attacking Granger. His insides squirmed uncomfortably as he considered something; he had told Potter and Weasley, even as Hermione had screamed at him not to. He wondered if Hermione hated him for it. For some reason, the idea made him anxious. But it was silly; she'd hated him for six years already, so why should it matter now? Draco shook his head again. He hadn't seen her since that night, but her image hadn't left her mind. He had actually been thinking about that a lot… But honestly, why should he care if she hated him?

But…he did care. If he was truly honest with himself… he pitied Hermione deeply. He wanted to help her and he wanted her to be happy. It felt weird to admit… The last few days, part of him had been saying, "_You've done enough. Don't ever speak to her again!_" But something much stronger was telling him to follow through, to see if Hermione was all right.

Draco had reached the Great Hall. It was still very early, he sat at the empty Slytherin table and forced down a bowl or porridge. No matter what he had done lately, his mind hadn't been at rest. He stood up hastily and walked into the Entrance Hall, out of the tall oak doors, and out onto the grounds. It was very cold and Draco pulled his cloak closer around him. 

He trudged through the snow and wandered vaguely towards the lake. The grounds were extremely peaceful and calming as the snow fell all around him. He actually felt a little relaxed. 

As Draco neared the frozen lake, he saw a figure walking slowly across it. As he got closer, he saw that it was Hermione. To his surprise, he felt his stomach melt. He felt slightly ashamed of his reaction, but she honestly looked peculiarly attractive right now. Snowflakes whirled around her face and stuck in her hair. He took a breath, then stepped forward and called out to her. 

"Hey,"

Hermione looked at him, and then looked swiftly down at her shoes. Draco saw she had teats in her eyes. He paused for a moment, then stepped onto the ice. He walked toward her, a little unsteady on the slippery surface. He could see her face clearly now. Her black eye and split lip were still very obvious but… he couldn't help thinking how beautiful she looked. Beautiful, but sad. His heart ached for her on a way he had never known before, and suddenly, he didn't care about anything except what he was feeling at this very moment. As he neared her, she finally spoke, not looking at him.

"You know, it's funny," she said. "I think about it everyday and it never gets any better." Her voice shook. "Somehow," she sobbed, "It just hurts worse then it did the day before, and I don't know why." She wiped her eyes. She was trying very hard to look as though she weren't crying, but Draco could see tears streaming down her face. She turned to face him. "Why?" she cried at him "Why me?" Draco had never seen anything so tragically effulgent in his entire life. 

"I don't know," he stammered, "I just don't know." He wished 

he _did _know, he wished he knew a way to make all her pain melt away. 

She stepped towards him. "Do you care?" she asked suddenly.

Draco took her hand in his own. He had never felt so sad and yet so _right _at the same time before. " Yes," he said quietly. "I do."

She raised her hand and put it to his cheek. Her bottom lip twitched. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, holding him tightly. Her head was on his chest. "Thank you," she whispered. 

Draco was so overwhelmed by the feeling of holding her in his arms. He had never felt so complete in his entire life. Snow fell thickly around them. Following some deep inner guidance, he leaned down an kissed Hermione on her forehead. She raised her eyes to him, they were still wet with tears. Tears were on his face as well now. Hermione closed her eyes and tilted her face. Draco couldn't have stopped himself if he had wanted to. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever experienced. He was kissing her… and it was just so…_perfect_.

A/N: Well…there you have it. Please r/r…. thank you… In chapter 5 the attention shifts from herm/Draco to Ginnny+Harry. We also meet one of the OC's Robin….hope you enjoy… hopefully I'll have it up soon……… thanx again!!

Tigerlily****


	5. Trashy Romance

please don't kill me beacuase of the pairings in this chapter... and tell me what ou think of my OC...

Tigerlily

Chapter Five

Trashy Romance

Ginny went down to breakfast on Friday morning. She was a little tired, but all in all she felt good. Hermione had been doing better, and she knew why. She sat down next to Hermione and helped herself to some toast and marmalade. She smiled softly as she saw Hermione and Draco make furtive eye contact across the hall. At first she thought the idea of Draco and Hermione together to be a little strange. But when Hermione had told her everything that had happened, Ginny was quick to accept it. Ron and Harry didn't know of course, but Ginny knew that in all likelihood, that was a good thing. 

Life for Ginny had been going relatively well lately. SChool was under control, she and Hermione were really close and... and Harry had been _really _nice to her lately. She was really hoping that Harry had gotten over Cho Chang. A lot of people had been hinting that Harry liked her. Of course, that was a little embarrassing... it seemed that the whole sChool knew she fancied him.

Hermione elbowed Ginny and smiled at her. "Look who's here! Oh no-"

she broke of, her smile fading. 

Ginny looked to the doorway of the Great Hall.

Her heart fluttered a little.

There was Harry.

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

Harry was holding hands with Cho, they were together,

Hermione bit her lip sympathetically, "Oh Ginny, I'm so sorry..."

"It's...it's" Ginny wanted to say "ok," but she found that her throat felt oddly tight. Looking at a smiling Harry, she saw Cho laugh and kiss him on the cheek. The started to walk over.

Ginny felt a hand on her shoulder, it was her friend Robin, also a Gryffindor fifth year. "That skank!" Robin hissed, glaring at Cho with narrowed eyes. Robin had a rather quirky presence with her orange-red hair and charismatic personality. Harry and ho were almost to them when Ginny realized she didn't want to speak to them just now. Hermione was, as usual, one step ahead of her. "I think it's time for a *trip to the ladies room* " she whispered to Robin looking pointedly at Ginny. 

"I believe so," said Robin nodding meanfully. Ginny let them steer her quickly past Harry and Cho without looking at them. Harry saw them leaving and said, "hey, where're you going?"

"Girls' business Harry, I'm sure you understand." Hermione called over her shoulder, trying to sound offhand. Ginny, Hermione, and Robin headed towards the girls toilet as quickly as they could.

Ginny felt horrid. She had been so close..._why_? Why did Cho suddenly have to be with Harry_ now_? they entered the lavatory and Robin and Hermione started speaking at once.

"I don't believe it!"

"I thought she didn't like him!?!" 

"What does he think she's playing at?"

"Everyone knows she's a major-"

"-Cho has got a horrible reputation"

"- and besides, he probably doesn't even like her!"

Ginny slumped against the wall. She almost felt like crying.her insides were lead. Both Hermione and Robin stopped talking at her.

"Oh Ginny..." Robin said softly

Ginny felt so disappointed, she didn't really know what to say. This was so rotten. Cho Chang was not only popular, sexy, and beautiful, but shallow. Rumor had it that she was also very "easy" not to mention that she acted like a total bitch She look desperately at the ceiling. "_Why_ does he have to like her now!?!" she said at last.

Hermione shook her head. "i don't know. I think he's just so blind that he can't see what's in front of his eyes; a five-star grade A bitch!"

Robin gave a derisive laugh. "You forgot a slut and a skank."

"That too," Hermione added.

Robin folded her arms, "I don't know Harry very well," she said. "But do you think that if you just told him that she really isn't as innocent as she seems, he'll break up with her?" 

Hermione laughed out loud "Harry?! Never, he's to stubborn. He'd never go for it, even if he knew it was true. He'd probably just try and deny it." She finished flatly. 

Just then the door banged open and in walked Cho, surrounded by a large group of girls all chattering in loud inane voices. Elbowing Robin out of the way, they all gathered around the mirror, and Cho started to speak loudly. "Of course you know, Harry was _so _easy to hook-" One of the girls giggled and said, "So what's your plan for this one Cho?" Some

of the girls giggled stupidly.

"Oh you know, the usual-"

"You mean--?"

"That's right," Cho smirked at her reflection. "Tell him i love him, take him to third base," she batted her eyelashes dramatically "Then, tell him it just isn't working out. I can see those tears now!!!" The bathroom rang with laughter. Robin's jaw dropped. 

"You are _such_ a genius Cho!"

"I know! I also plan to tell the entire sChool that he, well you know..." she grinned maliciously. "Falls a little short in some departments." The giggling girls squealed with laughter louder then ever. Suddenly, they heard the bell ringing, signaling the start of classes. All the girls bustled out the door, talking loudly. When only Robin, Ginny, and Hermione were left, Hermione burst out, "That bitch is the sickest little slut on the entire planet! I can't believe she'd do something like that to Harry!!!" 

Ginny looked at he. "We've got to stop her!"

"I don't care if Harry _is _stubborn!" Robin burst out. "We've got to tell him!" 

Hermione frowned. "But he still might not believe us! Maybe," she paused, "maybe we should tell Ron first."

"Definitely," said Ginny. She was so angry at Cho, if she ever hurt Harry... Ginny wanted to slap that whore right across her pretty little face! "he's Harry's best friend, he'd understand." Ginny looked at her watch. "Look, we'll talk to Ron at lunch. We'd better get to lessons now or we'll be late." Robin nodded, and all three of them headed put the door.

As they left, Ginny felt her mind lift from her own troubles and settled on Hermione's. She was still worried about her. Ginny knew that even though Hermione put on a brave face, she was hurting inside. She would spend every Potions class with her head bent over her work, not saying a word. Harry and Ron had begun to act like over-protective big brothers to her. Glaring whenever Snape looked vaguely in her direction they stood on either side of her with menacing looks on their faces, as if they were daring Snape to try something. 

Ginny also knew that while Draco was still presenting a "respectable" Slytherin face to the rest had paid Snape a visit, letting him know in no uncertain terms that if he ever came anywhere near Hermione again, all four of them would be prepared to go to Dumbledore. Ginny also had a feeling Draco had hinted that he would personally kick Snape's ass to pulp. Ginny gazed at Hermione with concern, She knew that Harry, Ron and even Draco wanted her to turn Snape in. But Hermione felt to much shame and embarrassment to tell anyone but Ginny. Ginny could only imagine her pain and she understood why Hermione would only tell if there was no other Choice. Harry, Ron, and Draco couldn't understand because they weren't girls. They had no idea what it could be like to be taken advantage of like that, to feel utterly defenseless against anothers' twisted lust. Ginny shuddered She had a lurking worry that Hermione wasn't the first nor the last of Snape's victims. She had a feeling deep down in her heart that there had been others.

All through transfiguration and Charms, all Ginny could think of was Cho's plan. She couldn't believe that anyone could be so horrible, even Cho. She and Robin worked quietly in trier last class before lunch, waiting for the bell to ring. When it finally did, they packed their bags and walked quickly to the Great Hall. When they arrived they saw Hermione waiting by the door with Ron. When she saw them,she yanked all three off to the side and said, "We need some privacy to discus this Ron. How bout Myrtle's?"

Ron nodded.

As they started up the staircase Ginny looked into the hall and over the heads of the milling crowd. There were Harry and Cho sitting together.

"So you three, what's all this about?" Ron asked as they reached the bathroom.

"It's about Cho." Said Ginny flatly.

Ron looked at his sister sympathetically. "Oh yeah, that. Rotten luck Ginny. I'm really sorry."

"No, no," Ginny shook her head, blushing a little. "It's not _that_. Hermione, Robin and i overheard Cho telling her friends that, well..."

"Cho plans to use Harry, dump him like garbage, then tell the sChool he's a size small' where it counts, if you catch my drift..."

"Whoa," said Ron in amazement.

"She's such a total bitch!" said Robin to him. "She plans to completely humiliate him."

Ron looked concerned. "Well, we've got to tell him. Only..."

"He's not going to believe it," finished Hermione hopelessly.

Robin took a step towards Ron, appealing to him. "But you're his best friend! He has to believe you! If you talk to him-"

"- that's the thing," said Ron uncomfortably his ears going red as he looked at Robin. "Harry can be a little, well irrational sometimes. Fact is, I've seen them together, and i talked to him today; he's love struck," he shook his head. "I don't think anything we say is going to convince Harry that Cho Chang is less then a goddess."

Ginny sighed.

Hermione tutted sympathetically. "Men," she said. "Well, either way, we have to tell him." 

"Yeah," said Robin."maybe if we all did it together..." 

Ron grinned at her. "Yeah, I think that's our best chance." He squared his shoulders and motioned towards the door. "I guess now's a good time as any."

Ron lead the way back to the Great Hall. He couldn't believe girls sometimes; the plans they cook up could be so cruel... He had heard some rumors about what a bitch Cho was,so the whole thing sorta fit. On the other hand, he knew exactly why Harry might be blind to Cho's bitchiness. She was extremely sexy, popular, beautiful... Ron felt a small pang of jealousy but it vanished quickly as he remembered what _else_ was included with being involved with Cho Chang. "_Robin was right, she's a bitch,_" thought Ron. Ron looked at Robin. He didn't know her to well, but Ginny and Hermione seemed to like her. He knew that she was in Ginny's year. 

Robin noticed his gaze and smiled at him. He blushed and looked away. He couldn't help but notice that she was very cute.

Embarrassed, and trying to find something else to look at, his eyes fell on his sister. "_Poor Ginny,_" he thought sadly. He knew very well that Ginny had fancied Harry for ages. Hid must have come as a real blow to her. Even if Harry was his friend, somewhere deep inside, it peeved Ron that he'd hurt Ginny like that by going out with Cho. He let Ginny catch up with him and out his arm around her with that "big-brother-protective- smile" he'd learned to perfect. She recognized the look and smiled at him with the "don't-worry-about-me-do-much" expression she used just as often. As they neared the Great hall, Hermione stopped them and motioned them to huddle up. As they grouped up she whispered, "Remember, we have to be strategic about this. We'll tell Harry we want a word, then," she sighed to herself. "Drop the bomb."

Ron looked at her with his eyebrows raised. She had a way of making impossible tasks seem like everyday Chores, she'd always been that way. But things had Changed, ever since...that night. He knew she out up a false face to the world, even though she was really screwed up on the inside. He felt so angry about it. He wanted to kill Snape for hurting her, he had hated Snape to begin with, but now he wanted that bastard to pay! The only reason they hadn't reported him was because Hermione wouldn't let him, he couldn't understand why she was so ashamed. He pushed his mind back to the current problem.

"Right then," he said to them. "Lets move out." 

They walked into the Hall and Ron immediately spotted Harry and Cho sitting together at the Gryffindor table. Harry was grinning at Cho, who was batting her eyelashes seductively. 

Ron saw Robin roll her eyes.

Harry saw them and waved, still grinning. From behind his back, Cho glared at the, with obvious annoyance. 

"Hey guys!" Harry called. He acted as though he wanted to show off his good luck with Cho. 

"Harry," said Hermione calmly. "Do you think we could have a word?" Harry shrugged but didn't get up, "Sure," he smiled. Ron tilted his head. Ron tilted his head pointedly at Cho and said, "We were thinking privately." Cho gave them a look of pure poison. But when Harry turned to her, she had a sweet look plastered on her face once more.

"Do you mind, Cho?" said Harry with the air of one tentatively asking permission.

"Not at all, honey." Her voice was like syrup: sweet and sticky.

Robin looked like she wanted to puke.

"I'll only be a minute,"said Harry to Cho in a tone that suggested he was afraid that a minute separation from her would condemn his soul.

"Sure, darling." Cho smiled again.

Ron rolled his eyes as they turned around and headed out of the Hall. 

"She's something isn't she?"

"Oh yeah, she's something all right," said Hermione flatly.

"So what's up?" Harry smiled.

"_This is never going to work_" thought Ron. "Wellit's like this," Ron said cautiously. He explained what Robin, Hermione, and Ginny had overheard in the bathroom that morning. Harry's smile was fading a little with every word, when Ron finished, he looked downright hostile. 

"We..ah..just thought you should know." Ron finished delicately. 

Harry didn't say anything, he just looked at them for a moment. "Is this some kind of a joke?" He asked at last. He did not sound amused.

"No," said Hermione. "it's true-"

"Because its not very funny!" Harry said slowly cutting her off. 

"Harry," Ron started. "We're telling the truth-"

"Cho would never do something like that." Harry cut in. "What's wrong? Don't you trust her?"

"It's not like that!" said Ginny. "We're just telling you what we heard-"

"-Or are you just jealous?"Harry was now glaring at all of them with obvious anger. "What's wrong? Don't you think I'm good enough for her? Can't you believe that someone as wonderful as her could ever like someone like me!?! You don't even know her!"

"--Harry calm--"

"–Well guess what! I'm not going to let you ruin it! I can't believe you would do something like this to me!" he said angrily. "I thought you were my friends!"

He pushed past them and went back into the Great Hall without looking back.

They looked at each other, slightly shocked.

"Well," said Ron. "That went well."

Thanx for reading....next week: Chapter Six : A Nightmare Replayed!!!!!

luv you all!!!!!!!!!!!


	6. A Nightmare Replayed

A/N: Hey everybody!!!!! Sorry this took so long to get this posted… 

Someone mentioned that "Snape was to cool to be this scary".

Our response, yeah he's cool, cool like a freaky freaky man!!!!

Anyho…. Let me know what you think of our OC's… PLEASE!!!!

I'll try to get chapter 7 up this week… enjoy!!!

**Chapter Six**

**~~~ A Nightmare Replayed ~~~**

Hermione stared into the semi-darkness. She sighed, twirling a lock of Draco's blond hair around her finger.

"And he didn't believe you?"

She sighed again. "No…"

Draco's head was resting on her lap. They were sitting in an empty classroom, the only place they could be alone.

"That really sucks," Draco said sympathetically. "But you know how it is… love can really blind people."

She smiled to herself. "I know."

Draco sat up and looked at her intently. "It can also change people."

Hermione looked at his face. He had that charming little half-smile of his on… 

She laughed, "I love you."

Draco smiled broadly, "I love you."

After all the things that had happened… all the pain and sadness… it still amazed Hermione the way Draco could make her forget all of it it.

It was still so crazy…_Draco_ of all people.

Hermione's mind wandered in and out of daydreams…

Suddenly-

"Draco!"

He sat up again quickly. "What is it?"

"I think I've left my purse in my last class."

He looked at her, "Potions?"

She nodded.

"Well, can you get it tomorrow?"

Hermione clasped his hand, "Actually… I _really_ need it."

Draco looked at her quizzically.

She blushed. "It's…its girl stuff, ok!"

"Ohh…" he said, getting the point, "sorry, " he paused. "Well, I'm going with you to get it. There's no way you're going alone."

She nodded.

"Well…" he said. "I _could_ go get it for you… then you wouldn't have to go at all~~"

"No," she said firmly. "I'm going. 'Show no fear,' right?"

She was trying desperately to sound brave.

"Right,"

Holding hands, they left the dark room and started toward the dungeons.

Finally, they reached the classroom.

Draco stepped forward, knocking on the door.

"Professor?" he called

No answer.

Draco turned to Hermione, "Well… lets see if he left the door open-"

Suddenly a scream came out of the room.

Hermione looked at Draco.

"It can't be…" she whispered. She put her hand on the door handle. Somebody was in there…

She heard a crashing sound.

Throwing caution into the wind, she pushed the door open.

A horrible sight met her eyes.

Snape was there, and there was also a girl.

"No!" Hermione screamed.

Snape whirled around He had been holding the girl by her throat. A look of hate was on his face as he reached for his wand. But Draco got to him first. He threw a punch and hit Snape right in the face. 

Snape fell to the floor and the girl, now released, stumbled blindly and fell on the ground. She rolled in a ball with her face in her hands, shaking with shock. Hermione kneeled quickly down next to the girl. She was small and slight with long, thick black hair that was tangled and mussed.

"We've got to get out of here!" Hermione cried urgently grabbing the girl's wrists. "Come on!"

Hermione felt horrible. Seeing all this happening was like some horrid memory sequence played out before her eyes. She tried her best to pull the girl to her feet. Looking behind her, she saw Draco struggling with Snape, who had his wand out, pointed at Draco's face.

Draco instantaneously kicked Snape hard in the knee.

Snape fell to the ground.

His wand clattered across the floor.

"You sick fuck!" Draco yelled at him.

Moaning in pain, Snape clenched his teeth as Draco kicked him hard in the stomach.

"This is the last time you ever-" Draco began.

"Do you think you can stop me?" Snape wheezed suddenly, clutching his stomach as he lay on the floor. "No one will ever take your word against mine. Not even Dumbledore," He coughed. "And if you even _think_ of telling, you'll see what I'm **_truly capable_** **_of!!!_**" He gasped the last few words out in such a dangerous tone that Hermione gasped in fear, and Draco's eyes widened.

"Now _run_" Snape wheezed menacingly. "Get out!!!"

Turning to Hermione, Draco said, "Let's go."

Hermione nodded, still holding onto the shaking girl.

Draco walked over and picked her up. She was so light, it was hardly difficult.

Hermione started to walk quickly out the door when she noticed her purse on the floor by the desks. She ran over to get it as quickly as she could before following Draco out.

They walked at a fast pace through the corridors. Hermione kept her eyes on the ground as they went. Tears were pouring down her face. She felt horrible for that little girl. After a while, Draco said, " Where should we take her?"

Hermione looked at the girl. She was still crying and shaking. Hermione noticed a bit of red and gold insignia on her robes.

"Let's go to Gryffindor Tower," she said carefully. "I told Ginny and Robin to wait up for me."

Draco nodded.

The girl stayed silent as they moved quickly towards the Tower, She seemed to humiliated to speak to them, and of course, Hermione couldn't blame her. She felt shaken and adrenaline coursed through her body. 

When they reached the portrait hole, she was relieved that the drowsy Fat Lady didn't even look at them as Hermione gave the password and they entered. To her immense relief, the common room was empty except two figures buy the dying fire: Ginny and Robin. 

As they entered, Ginny and Robin turned around. With shocked looks on their faces, they jumped out of their chairs and ran over to Hermione and Draco.

"What happened--"

"Is she ok?"

Hermione nodded, "Let's sit down."

Draco set the girl down on one of the chairs. He looked around awkwardly.

Hermione said, "Ginny, I think you'd better get Ron. He should hear this."

Ginny ran quickly to the dormitories.

While she was gone, Robin walked over to the girl.

"Lily?" she asked tentatively. "Is that you?"

The girl nodded.

"You know her?" Hermione asked with some relief.

Robin nodded. "A little, Ginny and I do. She's in our year."

Hermione sighed with a feeling of relief. This simplified things a little. At least the girl had an identity now… 

Looking at her, Hermione saw that she had thick black hair and was disproportionately "feminine" for someone so small. Lily was a fitting name for her…

The nerves in Hermione's stomach were making her jumpy. What were the going to do now that she wasn't Snape's only victim. 

Just then, Ron and Ginny came down the staircase. 

Ron gave Draco a slightly affronted look, but didn't say anything to him. Then Ron saw Lily.

"Oh-" he looked shocked. "She's in a right state, Ginny told me what happened." He wore a look of disgust mingled with anger on his face. "We've got to tell someone…Snape's a monster-"

"No!"

They all jumped, surprised to hear Lily's voice. She had taken her hands away from her tear-stained face. She looked as though she was trying to be brave, but she sniffed some more and covered her face again. "Please," she said in a muffled voice. "Please…don't tell. I don't want anyone to know…"

Ginny walked over to Lily and put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "You can trust us," she said supportively. "We'll help you through this." 

Lily cried even harder. "You don't understand… Snape, he- he said no one would believe us. He said if we told, he'd do something horrible. 

Draco spoke up. "He said… when we found her… He said we didn't know what he was truly capable of. It was honestly pretty scary. If we tell," he shifted uncomfortably. "He'd probably come after us. All of us."

Everyone stood in a terrified silence.

"Snape is a dangerous man." Hermione said quietly. "He used to be a Death Eater."

Robin looked terrified. Lily nearly choked in shocked fear. "A D-Death Eater?" she asked, peering between her hands. 

Ron nodded. Deep down, if he really considered it, Snape wasn't someone you'd want after your head. Especially in the literal sense… They were all facing a very difficult, _very_ dangerous situation.

"But," Ron argued, "If we don't tell, there will be others; other girls. He'll find other victims"

Lily sniffed again. "Maybe not," she said, sounding almost disbelieving of her own words. "Maybe… maybe I'm the only one."

Everyone looked sideways at Hermione who sighed before saying quietly, "You aren't the only one. He did the same thing to me."

The whole room was silent as Lily looked surprisedly up at Hermione.

"Really?"

Hermione nodded.

Robin finally broke the silence. "Well, whatever happens.. we still have to find _some_ way to stop Snape, even if it doesn't include telling."

Ron looked quizzically at her. He suddenly grinned at her, "Are you saying we should attack him?" he asked hopefully.

Robin gave him a small smile, and shook her head. "No…" Ron's smile vanished. Robin bit her lip thoughtfully. "There's still a possibility to make sure he gets caught… we've just go to be smart about it."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "I don't get it, what are you saying?"

"How are we supposed to make sure he's caught without telling?" asked Ginny.

Hermione stepped forward. "_Unless_." She said, giving Robin a thoughtful look. "Unless we made sure he was caught in the act."

"Exactly!" said Robin nodding. "We make sure he has a victim… then call a teacher just in time to bust him,"

Lily's jaw dropped. "You're _crazy_!!! That'd be impossible; you'd have to stage the entire thing, and who'd be the victim!?!"

"Lily's right," Ron said looking at Robin. "It's not like you could ask someone to go do that-"

"_I'll_ do it!" Robin said.

Everyone looked shocked.

Robin's face was pale, but determined.

"Robin," Hermione sighed. "You don't know what you're getting yourself into. You-"

"Look!" she said, "Someone's got to stop Snape. It's the only plan we've got! Think of it! He's probably been doing this forever, and he'll keep doing it until he's stopped" Robin looked determined. "Ron and Lily are right, I could never ask someone to be-to be assaulted by Snape like that so, I'll do it! If I don't, it'll be as though I'm helping him commit more crime. I couldn't live with that," she paused. "And if we can do this right, it won't have to-" she looked at her feet. "it won't have to go to far."

Ron looked horrified. "You can't!" he sputtered. "You just can't! I won't let you! It's crazy!"

Hermione sighed, "I hate to day it, but it's the only plan that could possibly work."

"There's _got_ to be another way!" Ron moaned, running his fingers distractedly through his hair.

"She's right, Ron." Said Ginny quietly, as if she didn't want to believe her words. 

Draco nodded sadly.

Lily sighed. "I don't see another way…"

Robin looked resolute. Ron look horrified.

Finally he said, "Well, alright. But only if we have some sort of safety net."

They all nodded.

Hermione looked at her watch. "Look, its late. Let's discuss this tomorrow; we should all get some sleep."

She turned to Lily." You probably feel horrible," she said sympathetically. "You should go take a shower, then get some sleep." She paused and leaned closer to her. "Remember," she added quietly, "Remember that you aren't alone anymore, if you ever want to talk."

Lily nodded.

Ron looked at Draco. "So how exactly did you and Hermione end up finding each other…" he asked suddenly, "… in the middle of the night…alone…when everyone else was asleep…?"

He looked more then a little suspicious.

Draco looked uncomfortably over at Hermione.

"Well," she said tentatively. "Maybe this isn't the best time to be telling you this Ron, but." She paused, "Draco and I are sort of…together."

Everyone waited for the blow to fall.

Ron gazed dumbfounded at Hermione. 

"And you _trust _him?"

Hermione nodded.

Ron lifted his eyebrows skeptically.

"And it's wat you _really_ want?"

Hermione nodded again.

"Well," Ron said looking doubtful. "If you're _really_ sure, then under the circumstances…"

To everyone's surprise, Ron held out his hand to Draco.

Draco looked astonished, but shook it.

"I'm not saying I'm going to be your friend or anything," Ron mutteres gruffly. "Just take good care of her. Ok?"

Draco nodded.

Hermione smiled.

_"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS !?!"_

Everyone spun around.

There, on the staircase, was Harry.

Ron let go of Draco's hand,

"Harry, its not what it looks like-"

"First all of you," he glared at Hermione, Ginny, and Robin. "Accuse my girlfriend of being 'against me'! And now _you,_" he pointed at Ron angrily. "You're shaking hands with my worst enemy!"

Harry looked furious.

"Harry-"

"No!" he spluttered angrily. "I've seen enough already! You guys are all fucked up! How could you do this to me!?!" He turned abruptly and stormed back up the staircase without looking back.

Hermione sighed deeply as she rested her head on Draco's shoulder.

"Well," said Ron quietly. "there goes any chance of him trusting_ us_ again."


	7. Trashier Romance

A/N: I know this chappie is kinda short (I don't much like it, but she needs some background…)…. But it means that I should have chapter 8 up soon…the story isn't going to be ten chapters anymore, its going to be 13… Anyho... here's chapter 8!

Chapter Seven 

**~~~Trashier Romance~~~**

For her entire life, Lily had been everyone's ashtray.

She was small; therefore people had always found her an easy target for abuse.

The fact that she was quiet and shy made perspective tormenters feel confident that she would never turn them in.

But, by an odd twist of fate, Lily was also lovely. Most people avoided her because of it; since she didn't speak much, or display mush of a personality, it seemed like they would just like her for her good looks.

So, in other words, out of political correctness, she had no friends, only people who used her. 

Snape had been one of those users.

It seemed to lily that that he could sense her weakness, like some mad dog that could smell the fear of some small mammal he was about to rip apart.

She had always feared Snape, ever since her she first saw him in Potions.

As one who'd always been a victim, she knew a victimizer when she saw one.

The reason Lily had spent all her young life in this fashion was that she had witnessed the death of her parents when she was six.

Up to that point, she had led a relatively healthy life; she lived in Glasgow with her parents (Who were both muggles), she attended school, she had friends, she was happy…

But afterwards, she became quiet. None of her relatives could afford to keep her, so she was sent to England to live in a boarding house with other children nobody wanted.

At the boarding house, the only ones who paid any attention to her were the ones who didn't like her.

When she had gotten her letter from Hogwarts, her first thought was, "_I knew there was something wrong with me…_" But, once she had arrived, she found that (for the most part) people there were kinder.

And now, just as things were looking up, she had encountered the worst abuser she had ever faced…

She had never met any people quite like Hermione, Ginny, Robin, Ron _or_ Draco…

Something completely awful had occurred, but for once, she had people who believed in her, people who wanted to help her, people who accepted her without question.

On the worst night of her life, hope had appeared for the first in years. They all made her feel like she could change her life, like she didn't have to be a victim anymore…

It was a wonderful feeling.

Lily sat in the common room early in the morning.

It was the first day of winter holidays, and no one was awake yet.

She was very cozy, wrapped up in a warm blanket next to the fire.

She was smiling, thinking of her friends; of how much kindness they'd showed her…

Just then, she heard someone coming down the staircase into the room. She turned and saw that it was Harry Potter.

Noticing her, he said suspiciously, "Oh…ah…hello."

"Hi," she said.

He kept looking at her, and she blushed. Pausing, she decided to say what she was thinking. "You know, Ron and Hermione really do care about you-"

"They've got a funny way of showing it," Harry said looking cross.

Lily shifted in the chair. "Well, they're just trying to do the right thing; you shouldn't be so hard on them…." She said softly.

Harry put his hands in his pockets and scowled at the floor.

Feeling braver, Lily spoke again, "They're only telling you the truth (even though it's not what you want to hear) because they care about you. You've got to appreciate that." Throwing caution into the wind, she said fervently, "They are the _only_ people who care about me. My parents died when I was six and Ron, Robin, Ginny, Hermione _and_ Draco are all I have. Harry," she began quietly. "They're good friends. You should give them a chance."

Feeling nervous again, she wrapped her blanket around herself, and walked quickly up to her dorm.

It had felt good to speak up to him.

He stared at her as she ran up the stairs.

He had never heard her speak before, and something about it intrigued him.

He was slightly taken aback. _She_ was an orphan, just like him. He had never met another orphan.

Later that morning, he walked down to the Great Hall to have breakfast with Cho. Somehow, he couldn't get that girl out of his head. Usually, her words about Ron and Hermione would have made him angry, but he wasn't focusing on them…

He couldn't get her voice out of his ears. Who was she? Why was she suddenly hanging out with Ron and Hermione?

He shook himself, "_You're a fool!" _He thought to himself. "_You're about to have breakfast with the sexiest girl at school, and all you can think of is some mousy little girl who's name you don't even know._"

Harry was very preoccupied that morning at breakfast, much to the displeasure of Cho 

He couldn't stop thinking about that girl...

A/N: There you have it… since I don't have school this week, I'll try to get chapter 8 up by Wednesday, but I'm not promising anything… I just saw LOTR II for the second time today… I lurve that movie!! Chapter eight (**understanding and group therapy**) will be up ASAP… its long


	8. Understanding & Group Therapy

A/N: Well… here's chapter eight… I hope you guys like it…

Chapter Eight 

**Understanding & Group Therapy**

It was three days before Christmas. Ron, Robin, Hermione, Lily and Ginny, sat in a tight bunch at the Gryffindor table, talking.

Lily blushed as she spoke. "Then I told them he should appreciate you guys more."

Hermione Ron, Robin and Ginny all grinned appreciatively.

"Lily," said Hermione, "I'm so proud of you for speaking up to him."

"Yeah!" Ron nodded. "And on _our_ account to."

Lily smiled shyly; all four of them (5 if you included Draco) had been encouraging her to be more outgoing.

"Well," she said, lowering her voice. "It's all thanks to you four, and Draco."

At the mention of his name, Hermione automatically shifted her gaze to the Slytherin table. They had found plenty of "alone time" now that the Winter Holidays had started.

Seeing her from across the Hall, Draco caught Hermione's eye and gave her a furtive wink.

She gave him a small bemused smile and looked away. 

They both knew that they had to keep everything low-key in public situations. 

Robin was speaking again, "So… what should we do about Harry?"

"Well," Ron said, "the fact that he didn't kill Lily when she talked about Cho shows some improvement. Maybe if we take it slow with him, he'll come to his senses before it's to late."

Hermione had a thought. "Maybe, we could have Lily talk to him more."

"M-me?" Lily stammered.

Ginny nodded thoughtfully. "Yeah…. He seems to trust you. Maybe if he really believes that you aren't biased, then he'll be more willing to take your advice."

Lily smiled. "Well, ok. But I don't want to be dishonest or anything…"

Robin shook her head. "No! Of course not, we don't want to get you killed." She grinned. "Kidding…kidding,, just be there for him… and see what happens."

Ron nodded. "She's right. What Harry needs is the truth."

Later that day in the Gryffindor Common room, Hermione, Ginny, Lily, and Robin sat together, relaxing by the fire. It was a cold, windy day, and the boys had gone to Hogsmead.

"Ooh…I am glad I'm not outside on a day like this!" Hermione said, snuggling deeper into the large blanket that they were sharing.

"Yeah!" said Robin fervently, as the wind howled against the window. "I don't fancy being frozen to death; honestly, I don't know why the boys had to go to Hogsmead today."

Ginny laughed. "Well, that's obvious, Harry did it to spend some 'alone time' with Cho," she said hiding with difficulty the bitterness in her voice. She smiled as she added, "Ron probably went because he was sick of us girls."

They all laughed.

Lily grinned slyly. "I don't know… he didn't seem so keen on avoiding _some_ of us…" She raised her eyebrows at Robin, who opened her mouth in surprise. 

"Now what is _that_ supposed to mean?!?"

Hermione and Ginny burst out laughing.

Hermione nudged Robin with her elbow, "Isn't it obvious? Ron fancies you!"

Robin blushed furiously. "No…no he-"

"Yes!" squealed Ginny in excitement. "He is, after all, my brother. I can _tell_ he likes you!"

All four girls giggled even harder.

"You two should go out, you guys are _perfect _for each other!" Lily insisted.

"Absolutely!" Ginny nodded. "Ron needs a woman that can keep him under control!"

They all giggled madly.

"Alright, alright…" Robin smiled shyly. " _If_ he asks me, I'll…I'll say yes."

"That is so marvelous!" Hermione said. "You and Ron together! 'Robin Weasley,' how does that sound?"

"Hey, slow down!" Robin laughed.

"Does this mean that we're going to be related?" asked Ginny mockingly.

Lily smiled. "Listen to us, we're _such_ girls! "

"Oh, but it's _so_ exciting!" said Hermione. "Ron's _finally_ getting a girlfriend!"

"You two are so lucky!" said Lily jealously to Hermione and Robin. "You guys both have, or will have," she added to a grinning Robin, "Guys in your life and treat you well."

"-and like you back!" added Ginny. 

Hermione's face softened. "Don't worry you two! Ginny, I'm sure that someday Harry will come to his senses and be all yours. And Lily, someday you'll find someone who will take good care of you and treat you right, I'm sure of it!"

Ginny and Lily both smiled.

"Thanks Hermione."

"Yeah, I hope you're right!"

Harry shivered as he lay in bed. 

"Fuck it."

He was alone in the dormitory/ he had opened a window and snow blew into the cold room.

"I should be fucking happy."

It was so cold it hurt.

As he shook, he wondered how he had gotten to this point. He had never really understood how his life had managed to include so many chaotic episodes.

It seemed that no matter what he tried to do, his fate remained the same, unsure and entangled.

Only punishment of this kind seemed to give him momentary feelings of relief.

He thought Cho would make him happy; she was all he'd ever dreamed of. The girl had this charismatic charm that hung around in the air wherever she went, like a potent perfume that intoxicated his brain.

He thought she could make the pain leave him.

It had always been there, for the most part dormant, until yet another traumatizing event in his life would dredge it up. 

Then he'd find himself in a situation like this one; sitting on his bed with the window open.

The feeling had been worse lately, ever since the end of his 4th year at Hogwarts. It seemed that he felt it all the time, wherever he went, whomever he was with, and it was becoming unbearable.

Just the idea that Cho wanted to be with him filled him with a sort of fierce passion. It gave him what felt like relief from the slightly out-dated loyalty from Ron, and the silent pity of Hermione.

Bit Cho didn't make the feeling go away.

He gripped his head in his hands. Hopelessness made him want to scream, despair ripped the inside of his chest. Misery and anger drove him to stumble out of his bed toward the window.

The stone sill was coated in ice that made his fingers burn as he gripped it and leaned out into the howling wind and snow. 

He closed his eyes tightly against the frozen gale that slapped his face with the force of hatred, and opened his mouth sucking in an icy breath of wind.

He leaned out into the storm, screaming out a cry of anger and pain.

Against the noise of the storm, his lamenting wail was silent.

Heaving with anger and despair, he leaned farther out into the weightlessness that he was sure lay beyond his window.

With one hand, he let go of the sill and reached out into the wind. His entire body was numb and painful with cold.

Then, something red-hot caught hold of him from behind, pulling him down, and burning fir covered his entire back.

He fell back onto something soft and hot as flame. He cried out in pain and shock.

Harry could feel himself shake but didn't open his eyes.

He heard from far away, a sound like crying and the window shutting.

Something soft was around him, and the red-hot feeling as now hitting his face. 

"Harry! Harry! Wake up!"

His eyes opened.

He was lying on the dormitory floor, wrapped in a thick blanket, shivering from the cold.

The burning felling came from the hands slapping his face. Against his freezing skin, the hands felt like white-hot iron.

"Harry ?!? Oh my god, you're awake!"

He looked up to see that it was the same girl who had told him off in the Common Room a few days ago. His stomach clenched with a sudden nervousness. 

She looked frantic.

"Are you ok?!?" 

She shook him slightly.

His head hurt. He felt like he was coming out of a dream.

He nodded and tried to sit up, but his head swam,

.

"It's ok," the girl said. "Jus lie down. I'll go get someone."

Harry grabbed her wrist.

"Wait," he groaned. "Don't….don't go. I'm ok-"

To his surprise, she snorted in disbelief.

"_Excuse_ me," she scoffed. "But I've wanted to end it all enough times *myself* to know a suicide attempt when I see one. You are _not _ok."

He looked at her in shock.

She looked uncomfortable with what she had just said and suddenly avoided his gaze,

"Well," she said. "-what I _meant_ was-"

"No-" Harry cut in suddenly interested, "I know what you mean. It's ok."

His senses were returning now.

His face burned with humiliation as he found himself in such an awkward situation.

The girl shifted uncomfortably. "Well, if you don't want me to get help…"

"-No. Well, I can explain…It's only, well…I…"

Harry paused. Although he usually refused to shelve his pride and let anyone see his emotions, now seemed the moment to talk. The girl seemed to be the kind who'd understand. She also knew what it was like to have no parents, to be alone… she had told him so.

Sitting up, and avoiding her eyes, he spoke. 

"Sometimes I just can't take it anymore. I-I just want to let it go…. leave it all behind…"

It hurt to admit it. He looked up at her cautiously. To his surprise, she didn't look at him with pity. Her expression was one of acknowledgement, and understanding.

He went on. "People think I'm the 'famous Harry Potter' and I don't know who the famous Harry Potter is. All I know is that when you see his name in the paper, it isn't me."

To his surprise, a feeling of relief spread through him. It was good to have this of his shoulders…

The girl looked more comfortable now. "I can tell you've never said that to anyone."

Harry nodded..

"Well," she said, putting her warm hand on his frozen cheek. "All I can tell you is that every person is three things: who they think they are, who others think they are, and who they really are. So, that's what you are Harry Potter."

Harry looked at her quizzically.

"Well," she shrugged. "it's true. You also have to accept your miserable times. Take all your emotions in stride and learn to get through them. The darkest time is just before dawn…"

Harry looked at her in surprise. He hadn't expected that.

She seemed to read his thoughts. "What _did_ you expect? Pity? I know very well that pity doesn't help. Pity is why I never had any friends…" She smiled softly. "It took me a long time to figure it out… Learn to live with yourself Harry. I used to hate myself to, but when Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Robin _& Draco _showed me that I could be happy, I believed them."

Harry drew in a breath. You know, you're right about them," he said slowly. "and they were right about Cho, she is a cow."

He smiled nervously, and the girl smiled back.

Suddenly, Harry realized something.

"Uh… what _is_ your name?"

"Lily,"

"That was my mum's name."

Lily smiled.

A/N: Well there you have it folks… I hope you guys liked it!!!!!!! I won't have Chapter nine (**Time 4 a plan!**) up for a while cause I only have a page written (and I have LOTS of homework to do :op )…… expect Ron+Robin and harry finally coming back………

Pleasee r/r they make me smile!!!!!!!!!!

Thanx to everyone who read (and reviewed)

Happy new year!!!

Tigerlily


	9. Discussions

A/N: Hey all!!! I know I haven't updated since December, and I'm so sorry that I haven't, but I lost all the stuff I had for this… but now that I'm feeling inspired again, I'm going to try to finish this ASAP. But be warned that ASAP might not be as fast as you all want it to be. My writing style has changed (I think for the better) since I last posted. You guys really liked this story before, and I'm hoping you still will. Be warned that the story is probably total crap, but if it is…let me know. I have a tendency to shift POV pretty often… and this was started before OotP so it won't be completely accurate, Snape isn't a pervy pedophile in the books. At least we don't _think he_ is…

Tigerlily

Chapter Nine

Discussions

Ron sat alone at his table in the library, hunched over a piece of parchment. He bit his lip as he glanced across the room to where Ginny and Robin sat, talking cheerfully with their classmates. He watched Robin for a moment then scowled back down at his parchment. It was full of scribbled handwriting; halfway written thoughts that had been crossed out. There were two legible words on the page, "Polyjuice Potion".

"_We won't have time to brew it _he thought. "_Snape could've attacked loads more girls by then_."

He sighed and crossed out the idea, scratching the parchment so hard with the point of his quill that he tore it. He grumbled as he shoved it back in his bag.

_"Its hopeless." _he thought sadly, returning his gaze to Robin. 

He'd spent all day in the library. He'd gone straight after breakfast and he barley noticed when lunch came and went. All of his energies were focused on the plan Robin had come up with last night; he had to stop it. He didn't know why he was putting so much effort into finding an alternate solution. Although there _was_ a possibility of someone getting hurt, Robin's plan was fairly foolproof. The only problem with it was that someone getting hurt was Robin. He didn't know why this bothered him so much, but it did. He was knew that if Hermione or Ginny had volunteered, he wouldn't be _happy_ about it; far from it… but in the end, he'd accept the fact that there was no other way to stop Snape. That it was the way it had to be. But with Robin… he just couldn't accept it. 

As he watched her argue passionately about a muggle football team, Manchester something, he dug out the crumpled and ripped parchment out of his bag. He smoothed it out and stared at it, wishing it would show him some way to stop this. Some way he could protect her.

_"Protect?"_

That's what he wanted. That's why he'd skipped Quidditch practice and stayed in the library all day. There was something about her that made him want to keep her safe and protected from Snape and Voldemort and all the other awful things in the world. He wanted to protect her. He had to.

The gang of 5th years gathered up their books and study things and left the library, their inane chattering echoing down the hall. Ginny and Robin were alone at their table, and they looked quite relieved to be so. Ron sighed inwardly as he watched them pick up their bags and walk to the exit of the library. 

Ginny smiled at him as they passed his table.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, her eyes widening slightly as she saw the piles of books stacked haphazardly on his table. 

"A while," he replied, hastily shoving the parchment under volume 26 of _Unusual Solutions to Uncommon Problems_. "I've got loads of homework."

Ginny smiled, he knew she didn't believe him. But she said nothing more about it. 

"So," he asked after a moment. "Where're you two headed?"

"I'm going to see how Lilly's doing," Ginny said. "I'm a bit worried about her, I haven't seen her all day." She turned and left the library.

Robin smiled slightly. "Maybe she's having another heart to heart with Harry…" she mused. "I certainly hope he comes to his senses soon. This whole plany-thing will be a shnatload easier if we have his help."

"Speaking of the plan," Ron said. "I wanted to-"

"-Crackers!" robin said looking down at her watch. "I've got to go."

"Where?" Ron asked.

"I've got to get detention don't I?" she smiled. "I've got to go cause some Snape angering havoc."

He nodded, "Good luck."

"Thanks." She turned and headed for the exit. 

"Robin!" Ron called after her.

She stopped walking and turned to face him.

"Uh," he said. "Be careful, okay?"

She smiled, but she still seemed a little anxious. "I will, don't worry." 

_"That's not going to happen." _Ron thought as she exited the library.

He pulled the parchment out from under the ancient book and began pouring over it once more.

"It won't help you know," said a quiet voice behind him. "There's no other way to stop this."

Ron turned and saw Draco standing behind him. He hadn't heard him approach and wondered how long he'd been there. 

"You know," Ron said, turning back to his work. "Materializing suddenly out of a shadowy corner-"

"- Is a very Slytherin thing to do," Draco finished, sitting down at the table. "I know. I just wanted to tell you that, well…" he paused. "There's nothing any of us can do." He lowered his voice, not wanting to be overheard. "This is the only way we can stop Snape."

Ron sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know," he confessed. "I just… I dunno." He broke of awkwardly, remembering who he was talking to. 

"You don't want anything to happen to Robin," Draco said quietly, looking at his hands. 

Ron nodded mutely. "I don't know _why_," he muttered, feeling himself go red. "I just wish _she_ wasn't the one who was…" he paused, try to recollect his thoughts. "I just want to keep her safe." he said firmly.

Draco nodded. 

They heard footsteps behind them; Ron turned and saw Hermione walking towards them. 

"Believe me," the Slytherin said quietly as he watched Hermione approach. "I understand"

Ron saw the look on his face and he knew Draco wasn't lying.

"How're my two favorite boys doing?" she asked, sitting down between them. 

Ron laughed, disheartened. "I remember when that used to be me and Harry." He remarked quietly. 

Hermione gave him a somewhat affronted look. "Harry's of the list." She said peevishly. "Surely you don't think that after what he did he'd-"

"- I know!" Ron said defensively. "I know Harry deserves to be booted of the list and that Mal- Draco, deserves to be on it…" he paused. "I was just marveling about how much things have, you know, changed."

Hermione nodded. "I know what you mean," she said quietly.

They were all quiet for a moment, lost in their own thoughts.

Hermione broke the silence. "Is this where you've been hiding all day?" she asked Ron.

He nodded, looking away.

"Why?" she asked.

Before he could answer, the library door opened. Robin walked in, followed closely behind by Ginny.

"Oh," said Hermione, looking at Draco. A smiled played on her lips. "You mean he's been trying…" she broke off when she saw the look on her best friends face as he looked at the crazy redhead. 

"I understand," she smiled

* * * * * * *

"Lily's coming!" Robin said brightly. "I ran into her after my failed havoc reeking with Snape. "

"Failed?" Ron asked, meeting her eyes, "What happened?"

"Um," she hastily looked away. "He caught me trying to plant stink bombs in his office." 

"Stink bombs?" Ron looked confused. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Uh.... They're kinda a muggle version of dungbombs," Robin explained quickly. "They're easy to make too, I made loads of them at my old school."

"So, Snape caught you with them in his office?" Ron asked.

She nodded staring at the table. "I still got detention though, tomorrow night at eight o'clock."

"Tomorrow?" Hermione exclaimed. "But we're not ready! We're not even _close _to being ready."

"I know, I know," Robin said in a soft voice. "But it's the best I could do. If he hadn't skived of the staff meeting I wouldn't have gotten caught for another day. And…" she broke off, not wanting to repeat what Snape had told her. 

"What," Ron asked. 

"I think he might suspect something," she said. "He was just creepier then usual…"

Creepy was an understatement. He'd looked positively gleeful when he'd caught her. She hoped that Hermione would figure out what the safety net would be if Snape…

_"Don't think about it,_" she told herself firmly. "_Don't think about what he'll do…._"

It was hopeless though. She had a very vivid imagination that often kept her awake at night. There were plenty of things to be scared of: Voldemort's return to power, the Deatheaters... her O.W.L.s were this year too. Is was enough to frighten anyone… 

But here, at Hogwarts, she felt safe. Everything that scared her seemed a million miles away when she was with Ginny. Lily, Draco, Hermione and Ron…

Except Snape. 

Snape was real and close and she was more frightened of him then she as of anything. She regretted her rash decision to be "the victim" immensely. She wished she'd let someone else take that burden, _anyone_ else.

But part of her knew that nobody in their right mind would do it. No one was stupid enough; except _her _of course…

Lily and Hermione had done their part, now it was her tie to be brave.

"Robin?" Ron's voice brought her back from her thoughts. "You said Lily's on her way, right?"

"Right." Robin nodded. "Harry was with her when I last saw them. Maybe her little talks have done some good after all."

"Speak of the devil," Draco said; looking to the Library entrance, "Here they come now."

They all turned their heads and saw Lily enter the Library, closely followed by Harry.

"_He doesn't look happy,_" Robin thought nervously. Another ugly fight was the last thing any of them needed.

"I hope he doesn't yell at us anymore," she said in and undertone to Ron. "I'm not in the mood to get my head bitten off."

"I don't think he will," Ron replied, smiling. "He looks more nervous then anything…"

They fell quiet as Harry and Lily approached. Harry was slightly pale and he breathed nervously before clearing his throat. 

"Uh... hi you guys." He said, looking at them hopefully.

Robin glanced at Ron, unsure how to react to Harry's greeting, and saw that Ron was looking at Hermione.

"Hello Harry," she said icily, not looking at him.

Harry bit his lip. "Look, I wanted to tell you all that…" he paused and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry," he said earnestly. "I'm sorry for acting like, no, _being _such a stupid prat. Ron I'm sorry for yelling at you-"

"S'all right mate," Ron said quietly.

"No it's not," Harry said. "Hermione, I'm sorry for not believing you and Ginny and," he turned to Robin, "Sorry, what was your name?"

"Robin," she said meeting his eyes. "It's no big deal," she told him. "I know that hearing all of that stuff must have been, well, terrible really. I'm sorry we didn't find out about it all sooner. I' m just glad everyone's alright with each other again."

There was a long awkward pause.

_"Crackers!!!" _Robin thought._ "There I go, shooting my mouth off…"_

"What I meant was," she said hastily. "Aren't we…" she looked questioningly at Ron. "Aren't we all friends again?" 

There was a pregnant pause, Harry looked at them all hopefully.

Finally, Hermione broke the silence. 

"Of course we are, Harry." she said.

He breathed a sigh of relief. 

"Sit down you two," Ginny said to the grinning Harry and Lily. "You've got loads to catch up on."

* * * * * 

As Hermione explained the plan to Harry, Ron­ felt the uneasiness grow inside of him. It'd been bad enough thinking about it all day, but hearing Hermione rehash the entire plan to Harry was almost unbearable. He glanced at Robin and saw she was enjoying this as much as he was. Her face was paler then normal, and she was staring fixedly at a crack in the table. Ron was glad when Hermione failed to mention who exactly was playing "the victim". He wasn't sure if she'd omitted Robin's name on purpose, but he was thankful nonetheless. 

When Hermione was finished explaining, Harry looked disbelievingly at all of them. 

"You've got to be kidding me," he said after a moment. "No offense or anything, but you're mad, the lot of you. And who exactly is going to _do_ all this? Be the victim and whatnot."

No one spoke for a moment. 

Ron didn't want to speak on Robin's behalf, and apparently, nobody else wanted to either. 

"Right," Harry said. "You don't have one yet? It's going to be hard to pull this off without-"

"-We already have some one." Robin interrupted quietly. "I'm doing it."

Harry gaped at her. "_You_? You're kidding me…"

Ron and Robin spoke at the same time.

"I'm not."

"She's not."

She shot Ron a small smile. 

"But we're going to have a safety net of some sort," Hermione explained. "That is, if we can borrow your cloak."

"Of course," said Harry. "And I'll help out, if you want. But you're all nutters, you know that right?"

Hermione smiled.

Madame Pince booted them put of the library a few minutes later. 

"We'll meet you a quarter to eight tomorrow." Hermione told Draco.

"Alright." He leaned down and kissed her lightly. "I'll see you then." He turned and began the walk to the Slytherin common room. 

Hermione gazed after him in silence until Harry cleared his throat loudly and stopped walking. 

"Hermione," he asked slowly. "What was that?"

Ron snorted as Hermione began to flush.

"Come on," he said to Robin. "Let's leave them to it,"

She nodded and they set off down the hallway, leaving the others behind them.

"Do you want me to carry that?" Ron asked as she shifted a large textbook under her arm.

She nodded and handed it to him. "Thanks."

They walked in silence for a while. Ron's mind was spinning, trying to find something to say to her… _anything_.

"Come on," he muttered to himself. "Say something."

Robin looked up at him. "What?"

"Nothing." he muttered.

The silence returned. 

Ron's mind was beginning to go mad listening to the sounds of their footsteps echoing in the hallway. 

"I'm glad things are better with Harry." Robin said quietly. "He seems like a neat person."

Ron nodded. "He is." He felt a small pang of jealousy… here he was, with this girl he really liked, and the only thing they could talk about was Harry.

It was painfully ironic.

'He's been through a lot, hasn't he?" she asked softly.

Ron nodded, unable to respond.

"You all have," she said. "Some of the stuff you three have done…" she broke off. "It sounds awful." She met his eyes.

"Harry went through most of it," he said, his ears reddening. "And Hermione too. I never really did anything important…"

"But you did," she insisted. "I mean, Ginny said…" she broke off uncomfortably. "It was... you were so _brave_-"

Ron laughed. "Brave? No…I'm not half as brave as you are." 

She blushed. "I'm not brave, I'm just stupid," she muttered.

He shook his head. "No, what you're doing-"

"It's crazy," she cut in. She speeded up as she entered the Common Room so Ron had to run to catch her before she went up to her dorm.

"No," grabbed her hand to stop her from going in. She turned and met his eyes. "It's not crazy." He said honestly. "It's brave, remember that." 

She nodded, her eyes a little wide. 

They stood there for a silent moment. 

"Here," he took a step closer and gave her the textbook. 

She took it with her free hand. "Thank you," she said, almost inaudibly. "Not just for carrying that but, for saying…I mean," she broke off and looked down, her face hidden by her hair.

He took a deep breath and took another step closer to her. He placed his hand under her chin and raised it slowly. She met his eyes, her face unreadable. Ron moved his hand to her cheek, and gently brushed her hair out of her face. 

"Don't mention it," he smiled.

She returned his mile and opened her mouth to speak, but she promptly shut it again when she heard footsteps and laughter echoing down the hallway. Before they had a chance to move, Hermione, Lily, Ginny, and Harry entered the room. The four of them stopped abruptly when they saw Ron and Robin.

Ron quickly withdrew his hand from her face a she released his other hand. He looked at his four friends, who wore expressions varying from mild shock to extreme amusement. Ron looked away from his laughing friends and back at Robin.

They met each other's eyes briefly before she cleared her throat. 

"Well," she breathed. "Goodnight everyone." She turned and dashed up to the girls dorm.

Ron gazed after her for a moment. Harry coughed loudly behind him, and Ron turned to face his laughing friends. 

He opened his mouth, but unable to think of anything to say, he shut it again.

Hermione laughed, and his sister was giggling madly. 

Ron scowled at them, flushing. He folded his arms across his chest.

"What?" he asked defensively.

The girls smiled at each other.

"Nothing," Hermione said, barley suppressing her laughter. "Goodnight boys."

"Night," said Ginny and Lily. 

The three giggling girls rushed past him to their dormitories. 

The boys watched them go. 

Harry patted Ron on the back. "Come on mate," he said, escorting the redheaded boy to the boy's dorm. "We've got a big day tomorrow."

They got ready for bed in silence, but after they were lying in their beds, Harry spoke up. 

"So," he said. "What's with you and the redhead?" he asked wickedly.

"She has a name." Ron snapped before he could stop himself.

"Sorry," Harry laughed. "What's with you and _Robin_?"

Ron rolled over and ignored the question. 

Harry chuckled. "You always did have a thing for redheads."

Ron sat up and yanked his bed hangings open. "And _you_ always had a thing for tortured orphans, ha!"

"Shut it." Harry muttered.

But he didn't harass Ron about Robin anymore.

Ron sighed and closed his eyes, anxious about what tomorrow would bring

Wheeeeee!! There ya have it folks!! So,whatcha thinkin'? Like it? Hate it? 

Should I finish it or just take it down? Let me know 

Chapter 10: "Prepartions and the like" should be posted in November… I'll get it up as fast as I can, unless you guys don't like it, then I won't…

Thanks

tigerlily


	10. Preperations

A/N: Hey everyone! I hope you all like this, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers!!! You guys really help inspire myself. It's a lot easier to write when I think about al you guys who want to read what I'm writing. So I hope you like this chappy. Robin may seem a bit angstyer (you know what I mean) then normal, but under the circumstances, wouldn't you be too? Think about what she's going to be doing before you mentally smack her for whining so much. The next chappy is finished, but I don't' know when I'm going to have time tot type it up. I don't want to spoil it so I won't say anymore about it except that it might be a while before I get it up, but that's just because I want to make sure its really good. Hope you enjoy the first half of chapter 10!! I'll have the rest of it up by the end of the week.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Preparations  
  
Robin sighed as she traced her finger through the snow. She scooted back on the rock she was occupying and brought her folded legs to her chest. She shivered a bit in the cold and mentally scolded herself for not bringing a jacket. She rested her head on her knees and admired the beauty of the frozen lake.  
  
There'd been a storm the night before, and an icy blanket of snow covered the landscape. It was still cloudy outside and the wind made her shiver on her rock. The rest of the students were inside, probably eating breakfast in the Great Hall. She didn't feel much like eating or socializing with them though, not today. She'd slept poorly; her dorm, instead of offering comfort made her feel cold and caged in. She felt like she was suffocated when she woke up so she'd pulled on some clothes and hurried outside.  
  
"They'll be looking for me," she thought.  
  
But she didn't want to talk to them. She wanted to stay outside and disappear into the snow. She couldn't stand a day filled with talk about the plan. A day of them feeling sorry for her. If she pretended that nothing was going on, then maybe, just maybe she could get through the day without having a nervous breakdown.  
  
She tried to think about something else, and her searching mind landed on Ron.  
  
She smiled into her kneecaps and wrapped her arms around her legs. He'd surprised her yesterday, the things he'd said.  
  
"He really thinks I'm brave," she thought. "Crazy boy. I wonder if he means it."  
  
She'd meant what she said; she really thought he was brave.  
  
"They all are. All of them but me." she thought bleakly.  
  
She sighed and felt tears welling up in her eyes. She wasn't sad; she was just.scared.  
  
Scared of what she saw in her mind when she thought about the Potions Master. Scared of what he would do.  
  
She was jolted out of her thoughts by the sound of footsteps crunching loudly in the snow. She hid her face deeper into her knees; she didn't want to talk to anyone at the moment.  
  
But whoever it was kept walking towards her.  
  
She looked up and saw that it was Ron,  
  
"Bullocks," she thought miserably.  
  
Ron was the last person she wanted to find her crying bit the lake. She hurriedly wiped her tears away and smiled at him.  
  
"Hello," she said brightly.  
  
"Hello yourself." He rubbed his hands together and looked at her. "We," he paused awkwardly. "I missed you at breakfast."  
  
"Oh." She wasn't quite sure how to respond. "I just, I dunno." she said. "I fancied some fresh air I suppose." she broke off, looking out at the lake,  
  
He nodded. "I thought as much."  
  
She bit her lip, trying to stop the tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.  
  
"Where're the others?" she asked, aware that he was still watching her.  
  
"I dunno," he said. "Still at breakfast I expect."  
  
"Oh." she said again.  
  
They sat in silence for a while, Robin shivered slightly as the wind picked up.  
  
"You cold?" Ron asked, scooting a bit closer to her.  
  
"Yeah," she admitted. "I forgot to bring my cloak out," she noticed him getting closer. "Just me being stupid I guess," she hastily turned her eyes back to the lake.  
  
"That's not true," he said. "Here." He shifted on the rock until he was sitting behind her. He paused for a moment before stretching his legs out so Robin saw one of his feet by each of hers. He then pulled his cloak tight around his back and covered her in it like a large blanket they were both wrapped up in.  
  
Robin took a deep breath before shifting a bit so she could rest the back of her head on his chest, which she did tentatively.  
  
She found herself offering a silent "thank you" to whoever made the cloaks so large.  
  
"Better?" Ron asked softly.  
  
Robin hugged her knees closer to her under the cloak. "Yes," she replied, closing her eyes.  
  
She felt comfort for the first time in a long while, and she didn't want that feeling to go away.  
  
"Are you alright?" Ron asked hesitantly after a moment.  
  
Her falsely bright smile returned. "Yes Ron. I'm fine."  
  
She didn't think she'd convinced him though.  
  
He placed a hand under her chin and turned her face so he could see it properly. He brushed a tear of her cheek with his thumb. "I can tell."  
  
She looked away and laughed hollowly, "Is it that obvious?"  
  
"It is to me."  
  
She sighed, but didn't say anything. Her feelings about anything and everything were to mixed up now. She was afraid that if she started telling him what the matter was, she wouldn't be able to stop talking.  
  
"Better to tell him nothing then everything." She thought.  
  
But Ron wouldn't be put off so easily.  
  
"So," he offered quietly. "You going to tell me what's up?"  
  
"Prat," she thought. "What right does he have to go nosing around in my head?"  
  
"Come on," he urged her. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."  
  
"You know," Robin cut in curtly freeing herself from the ridiculously large cloak. "If the others put you up to this you don't have to feel obligated to-"  
  
"-They didn't," he cut in softly as his cloak fell to the ground. "I don't think they even know I'm out here."  
  
"Oh," she put her chin back on her knees, "Well, why'd you come out here then?" she asked softly.  
  
"I just," he paused awkwardly. "I wanted to make." another pause ensued before he finally gave her an answer. "I was worried about you," he said honestly. "So tell me what's wrong so I can fix it. " he finished quickly, shifting so that he was sitting next to her.  
  
She laughed slightly. "I don't think you can fix this, Ron."  
  
He snorted. "You should have more faith in me."  
  
"I do," her gaze flitted to his. "I just." She broke off and focused on not crying in front of him.  
  
Ron gazed at her. "Come on," he whispered.  
  
She took a deep breath. "I'm scared," she whispered. "God, Ron, I'm so scared."  
  
He hugged her tightly as her tears fell on his sweater. He stroked the back of her head softly and said, "You don't need to be. I won't let anything happen to you. I won't let anything happen."  
  
Robin wasn't sure how long they stayed out there. All she knew was that as Ron said 'I won't let anything happen' over and over to her, she cried herself to sleep. And for the first time in days, her dreams weren't full of dark, looming images that frightened her. They were safe. She felt safe.  
  
And when she woke up and saw Ron grinning down at her, she wasn't afraid anymore.  
  
"As much as I hate to leave, we probably should be getting back to the castle." Ron said.  
  
She nodded and smiled sleepily.  
  
Twilight had come. She wondered how long she'd been asleep.  
  
"I didn't know I was that tired," she said honestly. "Sorry I crashed on you like that."  
  
"It's alright," he hopped of the rock and picked up his damp cloak. "I don't mind."  
  
Robin walked beside him to the castle. "You're an excellent pillow by the way," she said, stopping to look at a pile of snowballs left over from lunchtime activities.  
  
"It's one of the many wonderful purposes I serve."  
  
"And your so modest about it too," she picked up one of the snowballs and chucked it at him.  
  
"I'd think before you did that again," he chuckled as he brushed snow out of his hair.  
  
She picked up another and tossed it back and forth in her hands. Grinning, she asked, "What might happen to me?"  
  
He hesitated a moment before he responded.  
  
"This."  
  
Laughing, he picked her up in his arms and spun her around in the snow. She shrieked and pounded her fists against his chest, and he laughed even harder before he finally set her down.  
  
Her hair was mussed and she was short of breath, but she smiled as she hurled another snowball at his stomach.  
  
She missed and hit him in the face instead.  
  
"Right," he said. "That's it. Naughty girls don't get to play in the snow!" He laughed as he added, "Especially ones with such good aim."  
  
"I really wasn't aiming for your face," she protested weakly as he walked towards her, a wicked grin playing on his lips.  
  
"Sure you weren't," he laughed.  
  
He lifted her up, one hand under her knees, the other around her shoulders. Then he ran back to the castle, with her kicking and laughing the entire way. 


	11. Let's Do This

A/N: Hey all you people. I apologize for the lack of updates; I really am working as fast as I can. I know it takes me a while but I'm not being slow intentionally, I'm just s slow writer (and an even slower typer). So I would greatly appreciate you all to stop jumping down my throat because I haven't updated. I can't spend all of my time doing this; I can barely spend any time doing this. So...yeah, it'd be great if you wonderful folks could stop bitching at me all the time cause I haven't updated because it really doesn't help. The only thing it does is make me not want to write, when I kept getting reviews only telling me to update then I really was considering just not finishing this. But I am, but I won't if you keep doing it. So don't. I love you all.... But don't.  
  
Chapter Eleven  
  
"Let's Do This"  
  
Hermione looked up as the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open. She smiled as Ron and Robin walked through it.   
  
Their faces were both pink from the cold and Ron's hair was so windswept that it rivaled Harry's unkemptness. There were a few strands escaping from Robin's tightly raided hair as well. Their chatter stopped and their faces turned a bit pinker when they saw Hermione and Ginny.   
  
Resisting the strong urge to tease them, Hermione gestured to the chairs opposite her.  
  
"Sit down you two," she said. "You look absolutely frozen."  
  
"Thanks." Ron said, flopping down into a chair.  
  
"It is rather cols outside." Robin commented as she deposited herself on the braided rug in front of the lit fireplace.  
  
"Have either of you seen Harry or Lily?" Ginny asked, obviously entertained by the new arrivals.  
  
"Er, no." Ron said. "We've been...out most of the day. Why?"   
  
"We haven't seen them at all today." Hermione said.  
  
"I bet they're 'talking' again." Ginny said with a wry grin.  
  
Robin laughed and tossed a nearby gold pillow at her. "Ginny," she exclaimed. "What a terrible thing to say! Especially about the 'Great Harry Potter'," she pronounced his name melodramatically. "About the boy who-"  
  
"-Who I used to moon over." Ginny cut in. "But I'm over it now that I know what a prick he can be."  
  
Everyone looked at her, surprised by this comment.  
  
"I'm sorry, I know that he's a nice guy but any bloke who falls for Cho Chang isn't the bloke for me," she said simply.  
  
"Thank god." Ron said. "D'you know how awkward the past six years have been for me?"  
  
"Shut it you!" The gold pillow flew across the room and hit Ron in the face.  
  
"Either way," Robin said. "Harry and Lily are probably somewhere engaging in some perfectly innocent activity. "  
  
A sound from the stairs made them turn around. Harry stumbled down the stairs. He stopped when he saw them/  
  
"Hello," he smiled nervously.  
  
The others greeted him and the room fell silent.  
  
Harry made his ay down the stairs, conscious of everyone's eyes on him.  
  
"Nothing," he said defensively.  
  
Robin shot Hermione a puzzled look.  
  
"What?" Hermione asked Harry.  
  
"Well," he spluttered. "I thought you were going to ask what I've been doing upstairs all day... and the answer is nothing."  
  
Ron snorted. "Alright Harry, whatever you say..."  
  
"Harry?" a voice called from the stairs. "Are they back?"  
  
Harry glanced up the stairs nervously. "Uh..."  
  
It's been Lily who was talking. She ran down the stairs to Harry and stopped abruptly when she saw the others.  
  
"I retract my previous comment." Robin whispered to Hermione. "Her hair is to messy for innocence."  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Talking." Harry said suddenly.  
  
Everyone looked at him, confused by his outburst.  
  
"We were up there talking." Lily explained, flushing slightly.  
  
"Talking, eh?" Ron grinned. "Is that what they call-"  
  
The pillow once again silenced him.  
  
"That pillow sure gets around." Robin commented.  
  
Ginny laughed as Harry and Lily sat down on the couch.  
  
"Well," Hermione said. "Now that we're all here, I'd like to make sure we all know what's happening."  
  
She glanced down at Robin who drew her knees against herself. Ron seemed to notice this as well because he slid of the couch and sat down next to her. He said something reassuring to her in a quiet voice and rubbed her back. She looked up from her knees and met his eyes; their faces were so close that his fore head bumped gently against hers.  
  
"Remember what I said," he murmured. "You'll be okay."  
  
He said more but Hermione didn't hear it.  
  
"She's scared," Hermione thought suddenly.  
  
"Don't worry." Hermione told her reassuringly. "I've got it all figured out. We're going to split into two groups. Ginny," she turned to the younger girl. "You and I are going to go get the professor when we need to. Lily, you're welcome to come along."  
  
Lily nodded. "Of course."  
  
Hermione looked at Harry and Ron. "You two are going with Robin with the invisibility cloak to make sure...... well, you know,"  
  
They nodded.  
  
She took a deep breath. "Draco is going with you."  
  
"What?" Harry groaned. "Hermione, why does... come on-"  
  
"I'd rather have three of you there with Robin," she said swiftly.  
  
"Well," snapped Harry. "Why not have Draco go with you and have Lily come with me,"  
  
Ron cleared his throat.  
  
"Oh, and Ron. " Harry added, blushing slightly.  
  
"Because Draco has more experience then she does!" Hermione said. "No offense or anything Lily."  
  
"None taken," she smiled.  
  
"Hermione's right." Ron said to Harry. "The three of us stand a better chance of stopping Snape if he...... if anything-"  
  
"- If he tries to rape me." Robin interrupted quietly.  
  
The room went silent and everyone looked at her.  
  
"That's what this is about isn't it?" she asked, looking at each of them in turn.  
  
Hermione looked away from the redhead's eyes, Harry and Lily looked at the floor and Ginny shifted awkwardly in her seat before moving her eyes to the fireplace.  
  
Only Ron continued to meet Robin's gaze.  
  
She took a deep breath and continued. "Isn't that what all of this is for? The safety net for when Snape-"  
  
"-We won't let it happen." Ron insisted.  
  
"But if you hex Snape to death before McGonagall comes then we'll be right back where we started." She said. "If nothing happens we'll be right back where we started."  
  
They all quietly pondered this thought,  
  
"You're right." Hermione said. "It does have to go somewhere. But we won't let it come to that. We' won't let him...well." she paused. "I've got an idea. Why don't' we have a... a password? Something you can say when you need the boy's help."  
  
"Okay," said Robin. She bit her lower lip in thought, "It shouldn't be anything to complicated..."  
  
"Help?" Ginny suggested. "That's pretty simple."  
  
They all nodded.  
  
"Okay." Hermione said, turning to the boys. "You guys come out of the cloak when she calls for help."  
  
They nodded.  
  
Hermione looked at the clock on the hearth.  
  
"It's time to go." she said quietly.  
  
Robin got up and quietly walked to the portrait hole. When no one followed she turned and faced them with a smile.  
  
"Well," she asked. "Aren't you ready?"  
  
The others got up and followed her out the door.  
  
************************************  
  
************************************  
  
Well there you have it, and the next chapter is the big scary thing where people are injured... here's a sneak peek because I love you so much!!!  
  
...... The force of the spell knocked him to the ground, He inhaled sharply and looked at his chest. He was bleeding from where the spell had hit him but he rose unsteadily to his feet. Before he could do anything else the sickly red light hit him in the chest.   
  
The pain was unimaginable. An icy cold fire was burning him from the inside. Making his mind twist with agony. Searing pins pushing at his eyes.   
  
He heard Robin screaming the background... felt her kneeling next to him frantically saying "Ron? Please wake up. Please!"  
  
He felt her cringe at the sit of the blood.   
  
He opened his eyes with great difficulty and met hers.  
  
"Ron?" she asked softly, squeezing his hand nervously. "Can you hear me?"  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered hoarsely as his eyes closed.  
  
****  
  
there you go. Don't forgot to r+r 


	12. Detention Trauma

A/N: Look all, Im back from the dead... no really, I am.... I cant even begin to tell you guys how sorry I am that I havent been able to update.. but computers been poopy, and honestly, this shit is harder to write then youd think.... but its summer (or winter if you live in the bay area like me) and my computer is functioning again so Ill be updating regularly... and without further ado, here it is.... blame grammar and bad words on my want to post this and i dont want to beta the entire thin cause its like 18 pages  
  
Dedication: i'd like to dedicate the last few chapters of this story to everyone who's read it and to anyone who's ever had to deal with shit like this like i have or been a victim of this kind of abuse.  
  
Chapter Twelve: Detention Trauma  
  
Before it can rise from it's ashes, a phoenix first must burn.  
  
They met up with Draco in the Great Hall and the six of them headed for the dungeons.  
  
Ron walked next to a pale and silent Robin. She uncommonly still, not fidgeting at all. Her arms were stiff by her sides and there was a steely look of determination in her eyes that startled Ron. He'd never seen her like this.  
  
The others walked in silence as well.  
  
All for the better. Ron thought. I don't know what anyone can say to make this better.  
  
They stopped by the door to the corridor that led to Snape's room.  
  
Hermione stopped Harry before he opened the door.  
  
"Here," she reached into her pocket and pulled out a galleon. "There the one's from the DA," she explained, handing it to him. "When you think it's time for us to get McGonagall, activate it. It'll only alert one and I've got it with me."  
  
Harry nodded and pocketed it before puling out his invisibility cloak.  
  
"Oh, " Draco said quietly. "That explains it."  
  
"What?" Harry asked.  
  
"How you lot manage to sneak around the school all the time."  
  
"Not a word Malfoy," Harry hissed. "If you tell anyone, I swear I'll-"  
  
"Easy Potter," he interrupted smoothly. "I won't say anything."  
  
Harry glowered at him. "Come on," he said getting underneath the cloak. "Let's get this over with."  
  
"Wait," Hermione said. To Ron's great surprise, she pulled him away from the others.  
  
"What?" he asked when they were far enough away that the others couldn't overhear them.  
  
She bit her lip. "Ron," she said awkwardly. "I just want you to, ah.... remember what we decided back in the common room."  
  
He looked at her quizzically.  
  
"Look," she sighed. "Just don't... don't try and..." she trailed off.  
  
"Come on Hermione," he said. "Just say what you need to say."  
  
"Don't rescue her." Hermione met his eyes. "You're going to see things that... well, trust her sense of judgment. She'll call for help if she feels she needs it. If we can't get there soon enough or if something goes wrong..."  
  
"It can't go wrong."  
  
"It won't Ron," she said, sighing. "But only help her if she asks for it. It's her decision Ron, not yours."  
  
Ron blinked and then nodded. "Okay."  
  
Hermione smiled. "Let's go."  
  
They walked back to the others.  
  
"It's time." Hermione told Robin quietly. "Remember, if you need help-"  
  
"-I know." she nodded, the resolute look still in her eyes.  
  
Hermione gave her a hug. "Good luck Robin."  
  
"Thanks," she whispered.  
  
Hermione, Ginny and Lily headed for the Great Hall  
  
Ron glanced down at his watch. "It's eight o'clock," he said. "We'd better go, you don't want to be late."  
  
"Yeah," Robin said quietly.  
  
Ron turned around to tell the other boys that they needed to go, but saw them talking in hushed voices to each other, Harry saw Ron looking at them and said something to Draco. They both looked over Ron's shoulder at Robin with a pointed look and raised eyebrows.  
  
Ron flushed slightly and turned back to Robin.  
  
"Remember," he said. "If you need help-"  
  
"- I know." Her hazel eyes met his.  
  
"Don't be afraid to ask for help." He said seriously, his nervousness replaced by concern for the person he suddenly felt uncommonly attached to. "If things start to get bad..."  
  
"I won't be." She smiled at him and Ron couldn't tell if it was genuine or if it was simply to ease his worry.  
  
He took a step closer and pulled her into a tight hug.  
  
"Good luck," he whispered. Her head rested on his chest. "I'll be right there with you so don't be scared."  
  
She laughed a little. "How could I be with you three there. I know you won't let anything happen to me."  
  
Ron felt a swelling of pride at her last comment. She was right of course; they wouldn't let Snape hurt her. He wouldn't be able to fight all three of them off. Harry had survived several encounters with He Who Must Not Be Named as he himself had.  
  
Well... he hadn't come face to face with the Dark Lord per say... but he had assisted Harry greatly. And although Ron had never seen Draco fight, Ron had a feeling that his skills were just as good as his and Harry's.  
  
Ron smiled a bit.  
  
Snape doesn't stand a chance.  
  
Not sure why he was doing it, but knowing he wanted to and should, he shifted a bit and placed a hesitant kiss on the top of her head.  
  
She looked up at him, her eyes wide and sparkling.  
  
"Ron-" she began.  
  
He cut her of with another kiss. He didn't notice the conversation behind him stop abruptly. He moved closer to her, if it were possible, and she made a soft noise against his mouth that Ron took for a protest. He pulled back immediately and looked away. He felt his cheeks redden.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. "I wasn't... I didn't mean-"  
  
She placed a finger over his mouth.  
  
"Don't..." she whispered. Her eyes stared up at him, pleading and frightened. "Don't say you didn't mean it."  
  
He looked at her, utterly bewildered at what was happening. He couldn't get his thoughts into order until she removed her hand from his mouth and practically flung her arms around his neck and buried her face into his robes.  
  
His arms went round her waist as quickly as though he'd been whipped to do so. He rested his chin on the top of her head and murmured consoling words to her. Wanting desperately to tell her something, but not sure how or what.  
  
Someone snorted behind them and Ron looked over his shoulder and saw Draco and Harry looking at him with identical smirks on their faces. Draco cleared his throat.  
  
"I hate to erm," he paused and forced his face to it's usual passive state. "Break this moment up, but we really do need to be going."  
  
Ron nodded and turned back to the girl in his arms,  
  
Robin released his neck and took a step away. She looked up at Ron; he saw a tear on her cheek.  
  
God I wished she'd stop looking at me like that. Ron thought. Whenever she does I just want to... I dunno, kiss her senseless or something.  
  
Now that he'd grown a spine and got his feelings into order and actually done it, he wished he'd picked a more opportune time so he could repeat the process.  
  
Instead, he wiped the tear of her face and met her eyes.  
  
"It's time."  
  
She bit her lip and nodded resolutely, every trace of fear abruptly vanishing from her face.  
  
Whispering words of luck and reassurance, though she didn't look as though she needed it, the boys stuffed them selves underneath the invisibility cloak. Robin opened the door and let them in first. She walked to the large desk in the front of the classroom  
  
The three of them rushed inside as quickly as they could. After a moment, Ron heard Robin enter the room and close the door behind her.  
  
He, Harry and Draco moved cautiously away from Snape's desk where he sat, leering at Robin. But Draco, not used to sneaking about the way Ron and Harry were, tripped and landed on the floor with a loud thump. Harry grimaced at him.  
  
Snape stood up quickly and grabbed Robin's wrist.  
  
"What was that?" he hissed.  
  
"I... I don't know, Professor," she stammered.  
  
He dropped her hand and turned, his eyes scanning the room.  
  
The boys wedged themselves into a corner as silently as they could.  
  
"Careful!" Ron mouthed to Draco,  
  
He nodded.  
  
They turned and watched the other two people in the room.  
  
Robin was sitting down on a stool. Her legs were crossed and she was tapping her foot nervously. She was bent over a piece of parchment, scribbling down notes from the blackboard. Snape sat at his desk, watching her.  
  
Ron stared at him for a while but the look in Snape's eye as he watched Robin made Ron look away, disgusted,  
  
Harry must've sensed his friend's discomfort. He quickly cast a Silencing charm on the area under the cloak. Snape was to bust staring a Robin to notice.  
  
"Calm down." Harry said.  
  
Ron nodded and gritted his teeth as Snape got up and walked over to the girl.  
  
Like a great greasy bat. Ron thought angrily.  
  
He balled his hand into a fist when Snape placed a hand on Robin's shoulder.  
  
"Get Hermione," He hissed at Harry through gritted teeth.  
  
Draco shook his head. "Not yet."  
  
Harry nodded. "He's right Ron. I know it bothers you but... well, this isn't enough to go from. If we reported this, the worst he would get was a raised eyebrow. He wouldn't get into any trouble."  
  
Ron sighed and turned at the sound of Robin's voice.  
  
"I'm finished Professor." She hopped of the stool and handed the papers to him across his desk.  
  
He accepted it with a smirk and tore them up. His eyes never left her face and his smirk grew as Robin furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.  
  
"What-?"  
  
"It's wrong." H said simply.  
  
"How do you know that?" she demanded. "You didn't even look at it!"  
  
"You're a mudblo-" he sniffed. "A muggle born." he said simply. "I can assume."  
  
Ron cursed loudly.  
  
"What." Robin said, her voice dangerously quiet,  
  
"You heard me." Snape snapped. "There's only one thing you can really do with a muggle born..."  
  
Robin narrowed her eyes and took a step closer to his desk. "And what's that?" she challenged.  
  
Snape stood up and pointed his wand at her. "Imperious!" he cried.  
  
Her eyes went blank for a moment, and Ron bit his lip. He hadn't expected this...  
  
Come on. He thought urgently. Come on... you can beat this! I know you can beat this.  
  
She shook herself a little and blinked, her eyes came back into focus and she glared at him.  
  
"How did she-" Draco trailed off, looking amazed.  
  
"Ginny taught her I expect." Harry said.  
  
"Did... did you see that?!" Ron spluttered, "The Imperious curse is an... he used an Unforgivable on her! Get Hermione! This is going to far-"  
  
"No." Harry said. "Not yet."  
  
Robin's chin stuck out stubbornly as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "I suppose muggle borns are good for more then one thing."  
  
Draco smiled. "She's got guts, standing up to him like that. Not many brains," he added, teasingly. "But guts."  
  
Ron nodded.  
  
"No matter," Snape said, advancing towards her with slow deliberate steps. He grabbed a handful of her hair and yanked her close to him. She cried out in pain as he pulled her face towards his, forcing her to meet his eyes, He snatched up both of her hands in his empty one and snarled at her.  
  
"This is what mudbloods are good for!"  
  
He let go of her hair and tore at her robes. The rip ran from her collar to just below her waist.  
  
Robin screamed and tried to pull away but Snape held her fast. She wrenched one of her hands free and hit him across the face as hard as she could.  
  
Ron smiled a bit as he watched Snape release her hand and stumble back from the force of the blow.  
  
The boys held their breath as the two figures watched each other.  
  
Snape let out an angry bellow and ran towards her. In one swift movement he threw her down. She landed on the table with a cry of pain. She'd broken a glass flask and had a cut on her arm that was bleeding.  
  
Her teacher walked toward her with a maniacal glint in his eye.  
  
"No," Robin cried as he stopped at the table. "No! Don't..."  
  
Come on! Ron thought. Come on just say it!  
  
Robin tried to sit up but she fell back onto the table with another cry of pain. Ron could see tears running down her face.  
  
"Stop," Robin pleaded. "Please, sto-"  
  
Snape hit her face hard to silence her. His hands clawed at her robes and he tore them off. His hands were fumbling with the buttons on her blouse before she finally called for help.  
  
Draco and Harry pulled out their wands. Spells were flying through the air seconds later. Ron ran straight for Snape who was struggling to pull his wand out as Robin clawed at his face. Snape threw her to the ground with an angry growl.  
  
Draco turned and faced his Head of House, his wand pointed at him.  
  
Ron rushed to Robin as the two Slithering glared at each other.  
  
Harry took a step backward lowering his wand as he stared at Draco and Snape. He grasped his galleon and Summoned Hermione.  
  
Ron helped Robin to her feet.  
  
"Are you okay?" he whispered.  
  
She nodded then turned her eyes to the others.  
  
"Careful Draco," Snape said silkily. "You wouldn't want your father to hear that not only were you attacking his colleague... but that you were doing it in defense of a muggle born..."  
  
"You wouldn't tell him." Drano's voice was the same deadly calm as his teacher's. "You'd never admit to being attacked by a 6th year student. You don't work that way."  
  
Snape smiled unpleasantly. "You'd be surprised."  
  
He muttered a spell that Ron didn't recognize and a sickly purple light burst from his wand and hit Draco in the chest. Draco's eyes snapped shut and crumpled he to the ground where he lay, motionless.  
  
Harry raised his wand but Snape got to him first. A similar light flew from his wand to Harry, who barley dodged it. The spell hit a bookcase and it burst into flame.  
  
"Stop!" Robin screamed at Snape. "Please stop this!"  
  
He laughed cruelly and met her wet eyes. Still looking at her, he sent another curse to Harry who couldn't escape it this time. He slumped over an overturned table and lay still.  
  
Ron stood up, his wand hand shaking, and stepped forward.  
  
"Please," Robin said desperately. "Don't do this!"  
  
Ron met his teacher's eyes unflinchingly.  
  
"No..." Robin whispered from the corner.  
  
Snape look at Ron, and evil smile twisting his face. He murmured another spell that Ron didn't recognize, but it sounded different from the others. A jet of blue and red light streaked through the air. Ron tried to block it, but Snape's spell was too strong.  
  
The force of it knocked Ron to the ground.  
  
He inhaled sharply and looked down. He was bleeding slightly from where the spell hit chest but he rose unsteadily to his feet nonetheless.  
  
But before he could do anything else, the sickly purple light hit him hard and knocked him down.  
  
The pain was unimaginable. An icy cold fire was burning him up from the inside, making his mind twist in agony. Searing pins pushing at his eyes.  
  
He heard Robin crying in the background.  
  
Heard her kneeling next to him frantically saying, "Please wake up Ron... god, don't leave me here. Don't you fucking leave me!"  
  
He heard her cry out again at the sight of the blood staining his robes.  
  
He opened his eyes slowly and met her gaze. His eyes couldn't focus.  
  
"Ron?" she squeezed his hand. "Can you hear me?"  
  
"I'm sorry," he whispered.  
  
The last thing he heard before he passed out were her screams.  
  
"No!" Robin cried as his eyes closed. She shook him hard. "Please wake up," she sobbed, "Please."  
  
She could feel him breathing but he wouldn't open his eyes.  
  
Her gaze fell to his wand, which lay a few feet away.  
  
She scrambled across the stone floor, trying to reach it. But before she could, Snape picked her up and threw her back on the table.  
  
It took her a moment to realize what was happening, and by the time she did it was too late; he was already on top of her. She almost fainted from the pain... unbearable didn't begin to describe it. Still sobbing, she tried to push him off but he just hit her again.  
  
It was as though all of her nightmares had been lies. She'd scared herself awake a million times a night with thoughts of this... but in reality, it was worse. Much worse. His laughter echoing in her ears... his sickly breath burning her skin...his fingernails leaving scratches as he clawed her face, her legs, all over her body... his greasy hair whipping her face as he struggled desperately to get deeper...  
  
It felt like it went on for hours. The pain made her lose track of time until it overcame her and she fainted, lying limply underneath her professor.  
  
Hermione, Lily, and Ginny skidded to a stop in front of a large oak door.  
  
"I think this is it." Hermione said, trying to catch her breath.  
  
She hesitated a moment before she knocked and crossed her fingers, praying that McGonagall would answer. The enchanted galleon glowing warm in her pocket reminded her that they were wasting time.  
  
She knocked again, harder this time and when she heard no answer she pulled out her wand.  
  
"Alohamora!"  
  
The door burst open, revealing a startled professor.  
  
"Ms. Granger," she spluttered. "What is the meaning of this?"  
  
"I'm sorry Professor," Hermione said. "But, um..." she paused, trying to chose her words carefully. "There's something you should see."  
  
"I'm very sorry Hermione, but it will have to wait."  
  
"But-" Ginny began.  
  
"No buts! I have a stack of midterms that need to be graded before the holidays are finished. So if you don't mind..." She shut the door in her face.  
  
Lily sent Hermione a hopeless look. "Now what are we going to do?"  
  
Hermione pounded on the door as hard as she could.  
  
"Professor," she cried, "Professor there's a student in trouble!"  
  
The door opened and McGonagall stuck her head out.  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"There's a student in trouble," Hermione repeated, beginning to get exasperated. "In the dungeon."  
  
"Why didn't you get Professor Snape?" She asked. locking her office door and following them down the corridor.  
  
"Because he's the reason we need your help!" Ginny said. "Hurry, Professor!"  
  
The four of them raced, or in McGonagall's case, ran as fast as they could, to the down the corridors and stairs that led to Snape's room.  
  
Hermione's pace quickened as they neared the hallway that led to Snape's classroom. She couldn't hear anything to signify that something was wrong. Not like the night she'd found Lily. But the silence she heard as she stood in front of the door that led to the Potions room, instead of easing her worries, unnerved her more.  
  
She opened the door with a shaking hand, surprised that Snape hadn't bothered to lock it. She walked in and gasped. Draco, Harry and Ron lay on the floor, their faces deathly pale. She turned and placed a hand on a chair to prevent her knees from giving way.  
  
They were too late.  
  
Robin's form, underneath Snape, was as still as the others around the room. Her semi-exposed body was covered in fine scratches that shoe brightly against her skin.  
  
Lily and Ginny entered the room seconds later. Lily let out a small scream and Snape's head turned and saw them. He swore and was reaching for his wand when Professor McGonagall, short of breath, entered the room.  
  
"Severus!" she cried, looking at him with disbelieving eyes. "I... what are you doing?!"  
  
He stood up and hastily adjusted his robes.  
  
"Minerva," he began. "I-"  
  
Robin's body slid from the table to the floor with a soft thump.  
  
McGonagall pulled put her wand and aimed it at his chest.  
  
"The only thing stopping me form cursing you to shreds," her voice shook as she spoke. "Is the satisfaction that you'll spend the rest of you're putrid existence locked up in Azkaban."  
  
"Minerva," Snape spluttered, his face paling. "I... you wouldn't really..."  
  
The steely glint in her eyes made him break off.  
  
McGonagall turned to Hermione who sat by Robin, trying to arrange the redhead's robes to cover her still form. If Hermione hadn't heard the faint sound of her breathing she would've thought...  
  
McGonagall's voice startled her out of her thoughts. "I'll send Madame Pomfrey down after I take Snape to Professor Dumbledore. I trust you can manage things till then?"  
  
Hermione nodded mutely and watched her lead nape out of the dungeon.  
  
"Slimy bastard."  
  
Hermione spun around to see Draco stumbling towards her.  
  
She rushed over to him. "Are you alright?" she asked quickly. "What happened? I-"  
  
"-I'm fine," he cut in quietly. "Just a little sore.. the others'll be waking soon I –"Hermione threw her arms around him, sniffing a little.  
  
"Hey," he said, patting her back and wincing a little. "I'm fine."  
  
She kissed him on the cheek before letting him go. He turned and saw Robin lying on the floor.  
  
"We couldn't stop him," he said gruffly. "He.. we couldn't."  
  
"I know." Hermione said, squeezing his hand.  
  
Lily was kneeling beside Harry. He was sitting up and looked as though he'd just awoken from a rather unpleasant dream.  
  
Ginny was next to her brother, who was lying still.  
  
Hermione left Draco and walked to her.  
  
Ginny was in a panic.  
  
"he's not walking up." She said as Hermione knelt beside her. Ginny had a few tears running down her face and it looked like she was trying to pretend they didn't exist. "It's different from the others, he's bleeding and-" She stopped talking as her brother's eyes fluttered open.  
  
"Ron?"  
  
He sat up and winced, placing a hand over the bloody gash on his robes.  
  
"Where is she?" he asked, looking wildly around the room.  
  
"Ron-"  
  
"-Where is she?" he demanded.  
  
A strangled cry escaped his lips as his gaze landed on the crumpled body on the floor. He crawled over to her and sat heavily by her side.  
  
Hermione walked over to him  
  
"Madame Pomfrey is coming." she told her friend quietly as he stared at Robin. "She's-"  
  
"I couldn't stop him." he breathed, touching the still girl's cheek. "I promised her, and now..." He broke off, and scrunched his eyes shut.  
  
"It'll be okay," Hermione told him reassuringly. "I know it looks awful, but she's going to be alright."  
  
He opened his eyes and looked back at Robin. His hand traced a gash on her face that Snape had left,  
  
"I don't believe this." he whispered.  
  
Madame Pomfrey burst into the room.  
  
"Oh." She covered her hand with her mouth as she looked around the room. Her eyes traveled from Draco, who was leaning on the overturned table; to Harry and Lily, who was at his side, helping him to his feet; to Ginny and Hermione who were watching Ron as he carefully lifted Robin and cradled her against him.  
  
"Oh my goodness." Madame Pomfrey took a steadying breath before turning to Ron. "Can you see to it that she gets to the Hospital Wing?"  
  
Ron nodded and carried Robin out the door.  
  
A/N: well, there you go kittens.... the chapter of doom..... if it weren't 2:45 in the morning i'd give you a sneak peek but........oh, what the hell, i love you guys to much to leave you without anything, so here you go... but don't think that Robin has amnesia or anything....  
  
She smiled sleepily when she saw Ron.  
  
"Hi," she said, lying back onto the bed.  
  
He smiled down at. "Hey yourself." He sat on the edge of her bed and placed his hand over hers.  
  
"Where are we?" she asked quietly.  
  
"In the Hospital Wing." he said.  
  
Ron was extremely relieved to say the least. She wasn't freaking gout the way he though she would.  
  
"Ron?" she asked, startling him form his thoughts.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"Why am I here?" 


	13. In Which Robin Wakes and Ron Yells

A/N: Happy Winter Chaun-mas-za-dan

Chapter 13: In which Robin wakes up and Ron yells a lot

Ron sighed and opened the door to the Hospital Wing. He shuffled past the empty beds till he reached the one by the window where Robin was.

Hermione, Ginny, Lily, Harry, and Draco were standing around the bed in silence. Lily's head was rested on Harry's shoulder, her eyes half-closed. She looked exhausted.

Hermione looked up as he walked around the screen that separated Robin's bed from the others on the room.

"Any news?" she asked

Ron shook his head. "Nope. Dumbledore just wanted to know what happened. Snape wasn't there though, I expect he's halfway to Azkaban by now" He leaned on the stony windowsill. "She hasn't moved at all?"

"Not much." Hermione said. "But Madame Pomfrey said there's no chance of her… well, you know…" she raised her eyebrows emphatically.

"Oh god." Harry said, his feeling of disgust evident in his voice. "I hadn't even thought about that."

"I did." Ron muttered darkly.

"She's fine though…" Hermione reminded them. "Some of those cuts might leave scars, but it's not likely."

Ron nodded and looked out the window. The sky was beginning get lighter; several hours had passed since they left the dungeons.

Dumbledore'd called them all into his office one at a time to ask tem what had happened. _Just making sure it wasn't some massive student conspiracy I suppose. _Ron thought.

Madame Pomfery walked over to the bed and rolled her eyes when she saw the group of friends.

"Now I'm am impressed by all this sentiment," she said, raising her eyebrows as Ginny loudly surprised a yawn. "But you all need to get to bed."

Ginny started to protest, but Hermione cut her off.

"She's right, Gin," she said, getting up from her chair. "But what if she wakes up?" Ginny asked.

"I'll stay." Ron said quietly.

Hermione shook her head. "Ron… you really should get some sleep."

"I don't think…I couldn't…" he said.

Madame Pomfrey almost smiled.

"Alright," she said, with soft look to Ron. "You can stay."

Hermione shot her a puzzled look.

"She'll want someone there when she wakes up." Madame Pomfrey explained, somewhat loftily. "But the rest of you need to get to bed."

Ginny nodded and shuffled out of the door. Harry woke Lily up and repeated what Pomfrey had told them.

"What about Robin?" she asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Ron's staying with her." he said.

She nodded and began to walk away, but she stopped when she saw no one was following her.

"Isn't anyone else coming?" she asked.

"We'll catch up in a sec." Harry said.

"Come on then Lily," Draco said. "Let's go."

They walked out the door, leaving the trio standing by the bed.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Hermione asked Ron. "You really needn't stay if you don't-"

"-No, I'm staying."

Harry nodded.

"You should've seen her Hermione," Ron said. "She put up a terrific fight. Snape was going on about how muggleborns are only good for one thing and-"

"-What?" Hermione asked.

"Oh, that's what we figured out!" Harry said. " Dumbledore blew a gasket when I told him. He only did it to muggleborns, that's why he picked on the three of you."

Hermione shook her head. "That's so terrible."

They fell quiet, looking at the still figure on the bed.

"I can't believe she did it." Harry said quietly. "I mean…"

"I know," Hermione said. "I think she's the bravest person I know." She glanced at her two friends. "No offense boys…"

"Non taken." Harry murmured.

Ron reached out and traced his fingertips over one of the bandages Madame Pomfery had placed over the cuts.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Hermione asked him quietly.

He nodded. "Yeah, I'll let you guys know when she wakes up."

Hermione gave him a hug. "She'll be fine," she told him quietly.

Ron nodded.

Harry clapped him on the shoulder. "See you later mate."

They left the room, leaving Ron next to the bed by himself.

He sat down on a chair near the bed and sighed, putting his face in his hands.

He couldn't look at her anymore, not when she was like that; lying silently on the bed, her eyes closed. The only sound escaping her was her quiet breathing, which filled the silent room.

When he'd first seen her lying on the floor of the dungeon, he knew he'd failed her. He'd known it the second he hit the floor and his eyes closed.

It was true, she had put up a good fight, but she was no match for Snape. None of them were.

When he'd carried her up to the Hospital Wing he'd been surprised at how light she was. He'd been scared he might break her if he held her too tightly.

She wasn't as petite as Lily, but she wasn't very strong. It must've been easy for Snape to-

He shuddered and looked at her face. There were several bandages covering her forehead and cheeks, but he could still see the freckles standing out against her pale skin. Her lips were parted slightly and were practically as white as the rest of her skin.

Her hair, pooled on her pillow, reminded Ron of a splatter of very red paint on a very white wall.

He brushed a few strands of her forehead and let his hand linger there for a moment.

"God I'm sorry," he whispered to her still form. "I'm so sorry Rob."

She moved her arm and Ron got to his feet, hovering over her anxiously.

She moved her head a round, squeezing her eyes tightly closed and muttered something.

Then her eyelids fluttered open and she sat up with a start.

"Hi," she said sleepily, lying back down.

He smiled down at her. "Hey yourself." He sat on the edge of her bed and placed a hand over hers.

"Where are we?" she asked softly.

"Hospital Wing." He felt very relieved, she wasn't freaking out the way he thought she would.

"Ron?" she asked, startling him from his thoughts.

"Hmm?"

"Why am I here?"

Ron looked at her, too startled to speak for a moment.

"What do you mean?"

"Why…" she broke off as her eyes landed on her bandaged wrists.

She sat up and pulled her hands away from Ron. She brought them to her face and her shaking fingertips brushed the bandage on her cheek.

Her eyes widened and Ron could see the memories flooding back to her.

"No," Ron said as she started tearing the bandages off. "Don't." He tried to grab her hands but she pushed him away.

"No!" she said wincing. "I want to see them. I _want_ to see!"

She stopped suddenly as her cuts were exposed to the air.

Her eyes were dark and wet with tears.

Ron reached for her, trying to comfort her. Desperately wanting to get that look out of her eyes…

She shrank away from his hand, tears still running down her face. She hid her face in her knees, rocking back and forth on the far corner of the bed.

She wasn't making any sound, but Ron knew she was crying. Her back shuddered with silent sobs.

He scooted over to the corner where she was curled up. Hesitating a little, he wrapped his arms around her slight figure.

She looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.

"Oh, Ron," she sobbed, uncurling herself and latching onto him.

She continued to cry softly into his shoulder .

He held her close, murmuring words of reassurance into her ear.

"Shh," he said, stroking her hair. "Don't worry, you'll be okay. You'll be fine."

"How do you know?" she whispered.

"I just do," he held her tighter. "I know you'll be alright. I promise."

She grew stiff in his arms suddenly.

He looked down at her, wondering what he'd done wrong.

"You…promise," she repeated dully.

He nodded, still confused.

"Just like you promised that Snape… that he wouldn't…"

She pulled away from him, a look of anger in her eyes.

"How can you _say_ that?" she hissed. "How can… after what happened!"

She began to curl up again. Ron quickly grabbed her hand, an apology immediately escaping his mouth.

"Robin-"

"-No!" she cried, wrestling her hand free. "Get away Ron. Leave me be!"

Ron didn't let go though and Robin, perhaps because of a defensive gut feeling or because she was honestly pissed at him, wrenched her hand from his and hit him hard across the face.

They started at each other for a moment; Robin's eyes moved from Ron's face to her outstretched hand and back again.

She inhaled sharply.

"Ron, I-"

He turned away, a feeling of anger slashing around inside his chest.

"Don't," he said harshly, barely recognizing his own voice.

"Please," she pleaded, taking his hand. "I didn't mean-"

"- I said _don't_." He stood up swiftly and furiously met her eyes.

He wrenched his hand from hers and she took a step away from him.

"I tried," he muttered angrily. "Damn it, I tried to stop him!" He was yelling now, his shaking hands were clenched into fists.

Robin tried to speak but he continued as though he hadn't heard her.

"Don't you realize how I tried?" he demanded. "Don't you know what I went through for you? Snape is a _Death Eater_ Robin, do you really think that any of us stood a _chance_ against him?"

She opened her mouth, but couldn't speak. Fresh tears were falling down her face and their existence infuriated Ron.

"Maybe you should've thought about that _before_ you…you drafted us all into this to save your ass when 'your plan' fell through. You should've been smart enough to realize that _none_ of us stood a fucking chance!"

Robin just stared at him, and bit her lip that was threatening to wobble.

Ron turned away from her and faced the window. He put his hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.

"Ron, please…" she began.

He cut her off. "Madame Pomfrey said you're ready to go back to the dorms." He said in a strangled sort of voice.

"What?"

"She said you should go." he repeated, feeling his anger rising again.

"Ron, I'm really-"

"_Just go_!" he yelled, pointing at the door.

She didn't say another word. She just picked up the bag at the foot of her bed that held the now repaired clothes she'd been wearing when she'd come in and walked out of the room.

Ron heard a last sniff before the door closed.

He collapsed into the chair and buried his head in his hands.


	14. Hearts and Heads

A/N: As promised, just in time for the holidays.

Chapter 14: Hearts and Heads

Three seconds later, Ron was running out of the Hospital Wing. Partly because Madame Pomfrey swore she'd hex him if he didn't go after her, and partly because he felt horrible for being such an unbelievable prat.

He ran and ran through the corridors, checking all the possible routes back to the Tower. He'd almost given up hope of finding her when he ran up the marble staircase for a second time and saw her a few yards a head of him. He called out her name and she turned and watched him hurry to her.

"Rob I'm," he paused to catch his breath, he had a stitch in his side. "I'm sorry. " His heart returned to its usual pace. "I'm so sorry."

"Don't be," she said quietly, she wasn't looking at him. "You were right, it's no one's fault but my own. I'm sorry I dragged you all-"

"-You didn't drag anyone." He interrupted. "Everything I said, I didn't really mean to... Before, I was just mad at what happened, not at you. Please…." He wished he could think straight, but it was hard to do whenever she was around.

"Ron, stop apologizing." Something that could've been a small laugh escaped her. "Of course I'm not mad at you."

He let out a relieved sigh and took her hand. "You should be." He said quietly.

"But I'm not." She smiled at him for a fraction of a second.

Ron looked at her closely for a moment, wondering what to do next. He didn't want to frighten her away again but….

He took a step closer to her, and not giving himself a chance to change his mind, kissed her. He clutched at her hand and smiled inwardly as she tugged his hand to pull him closer. But a moment later she whispered something and pulled away. She removed her hand from his and didn't look at him

"I'm sorry," she repeated, her voice shaking a little. "I can't."

"What?" Ron whispered. He put his hands in his pockets. His mind was running a mile a minute as he tried to comprehend the sudden turn of events. Half a second ago he'd been kissing her and now… now she was walking away.

"Wait!" He called, running to catch up with her. She stopped walking but didn't answer him. "If I –"

"-Will you stop that?" She cut in walking ahead of him again. "Its not _that_. For the last time Ron, its not you. Its just…me being…well… me I guess."

"But before-" Ron tried again. He broke off, seeing that he'd gotten a reaction. At least she'd stopped walking.

"That's the key word isn't it?" she said quietly. "_Before_." He took a small step forward, as she suddenly turned and met his eyes, "Before, this would've been good. More then good I expect. Before," she paused and looked away from him, her voice was quieter. "Before… I would've been the most content girl in the entire world if I knew that some _tiny_ part of you cared for me. Before…" she broke off, returning her gaze to her feet. Ron took her hand, and wouldn't release it when she tried to pull away again.

"But I _do_ care," he said urgently. "A lot. More then I've ever-"

"-I told you, don't say it."

"But we can still have that!" Ron insisted.

She met his eyes coldly. "You really are thick, aren't you?" She said after a moment, wrenching her hand from his. Ron was so taken aback that he let it go.

"Thanks." Ron's hand fell lamely to his side. "I'm just trying to… I don't understand."

But she was walking away again.

"Robin," he caught her arm and made her stay. " I don't… I just want to make you stop hurting." He paused, quickly trying to think of what else he could say that would keep her standing there with him. "Draco helped Hermione," he finally said. "And... and Harry helped Lily. I just want to help _you _that was-"

"-You think it's the same..." she cut in quietly. Her voice no longer sounded angry. "I understand now."

"What?" Ron asked. This conversation was driving him mad. He'd never been so angry with himself for being so... so goddamn confused. He'd never felt so ignorant in his life.

"A lot if it is the same," she continued. It wasn't clear if this was directed at him or simply to herself. "What happened to them and me was, well…." She broke off and took a deep breath. She met his eyes with a searing glance. "Look," she said. " If it were that easy... if I could just go back to…well…what we were just doing," Ron looked away from her, coloring slightly. "-I would." She looked at him for a long moment and when she spoke again, her voice was free of anger. It was barley a whisper. "I'm sorry Ron." When he didn't say anything, she turned and began to walk away.

Ron didn't know what to say. And when he finally did open his mouth and the words flew out, he was just as surprised as she was.

"I love you!"

She stopped walking.

Ron didn't think he could move.

She closed her eyes. "Shite," she breathed.

Hardly believing what he was doing, he walked to her; his footsteps echoed in the empty hall. He placed a hand on her shoulder and turned her gentley so she was facing him. He suddenly stopped caring how stupid he probably sounded.

Her eyes were wide as she spoke. "Its not… You can't possibly." She sighed and tried again. "Ron I-"

"-love you." He cut in. He couldn't help smiling slightly. " I love you Rob," he touched her face. "Totally and utterly and madly." Her eyes widened with each word. He took a step closer to her.

"Ron-"

But she stopped talking as his mouth covered hers. He was praying that he didn't add to her trauma, and in his defense, she didn't pull away this time. Well, not immediately at least.

"Ron , I can't."

"Why?" he asked, wondering how many times they'd already had this conversation already.

She sent him an exasperated look. "I've just told you."

He made a dismissive gesture. "That was this talking," he pointed to her head. "And that," he pointed to her heart. "Is what I want to hear from."

She opened her mouth to protest, but he spoke first. "Please Rob," he whispered. "Just talk to me."

"I'm," she paused. "I'm no good for you." She spoke quietly. "I'm just… not good."

"Not good?" he asked, hardly believing what she was telling him. "What do you mean 'not good'? You're perfect Robin."

She shook her head forcefully.

"No but, I'm not." She said, her vioce getting more urgent. She sounded more and more desperate to convince someone that they wouldn't work out, Whether that someone was him, or herself… Ron didn't know. "I'm not… I'm like a chocolate chip cookie without the chocolate chips!"

Ron fought hard not to laugh when she said this. Not at the analogy itself, but the fact that she'd been dead serious when she'd used it.

"What?" Ron asked again.

"I'm bad," she continued. She was getting slightly hysterical. "I'm wrong…. I'm…I'm ruined." She took a deep shuddering breath. "I'm rotten. I'm spoiled." She cast him a miserable look before continuing. "You don't deserve something spoiled Ron," she said quietly. "You deserve so much better."

Ron just stared at her. "But I don't-"

"I'm disgusting!" she cried out. She slumped against the wall and sank to the ground.

Ron saw she was crying again and crouched down next to her, watching her in amazement. _That's_ what this was about? She thought that after Snape… after what'd happened, that he'd…detest her or something. God was she wrong.

"Look Robin," he said quietly, pulling out a handkerchief. He mopped up some of the blood that had smeared on her arm when she'd ripped of her bandages. "You're wrong. Just plain wrong…" He finished wiping the spot clean, but his hand didn't move from where it was. When he spoke again, his voice was low… more serious then it'd been before. "I don't loathe you," He sent her a small smile. "I love you. I've loved you before this happened and now… God, what you did. I was so proud of you." He touched his fore head to hers. "Please?"

She opened her eyes and met his.

"You don't mind?" she asked feebly.

Ron shook his head. "Well, I do mind. I'm mad as hell about it. But at _him,_ Rob. Not you."

She sat up a little. "And I can't…" she trailed off, but her reddened cheeks passed her message to him clearly enough. "After what he… I can't yet… I'm-"

Ron laughed out loud. "I wasn't expecting… Merlin Robin, what kind of guy do you take me for?" She smiled a little at that. "I've only just kissed you yesterday."

She giggled and met his eyes. She bit her lip and looked at him with a gaze that can only be described as calculating. She finally took a deep breath, and smiled.

"Alright then."

Ron blinked. "You mean…?"

She nodded, her smile growing slightly.

He got to his feet and offered her his hand. She accepted it and he helped her to her feet.

"Walk you back to the common room?" he offered.

She nodded and he wrapped an arm around her waist as they walked back to the Common Room.

A/N:There you are kids. One more to go, I'll see if I can have it up by the end of the week.


End file.
